A Chance for Change
by Dalakh
Summary: AU. QuiGon survived at ObiWan's expense, Anakin is being trained and ObiWan is going to be a Knight. There's just a small problem of Jedi going missing and a certain Senator being rather unhelpful.
1. Of Diverging Destinies

**Authors Notes:** Um... hay :) First ever Star Wars fic, so, be gentle? Feedback will feed me, constructive criticism will also, flames are great for making s'mores so they will three! Please review!  
**Disclaimer:** I own nadda. Star Wars belongs to George Lucas and whoever else. I like to think that this idea came from the recesses of my mind, but it's probably a mix of everything I've ever read with stuff I'd like to see written.... ya :D  
Heads up to Shanobi who is _brilliant_... (more will be added to this as the story progresses )

**Prologue: Of Diverging Destinies**

Qui-Gon sat in the stiff backed chair like he'd been there his whole life. Through the window the sun was shining and he could hear people still celebrating. Inside, on the other hand, was a whole different story. Obi-Wan Kenobi lay completely still on the hospital bed, eyes closed and face relaxed as if he were just sleeping.  
But he wasn't just sleeping, the Jedi Master reminded himself; if he were just sleeping it would have been relatively easy to wake him. Instead Obi-Wan had not responded to any stimuli since he collapsed…   
  
_"It is too late… It's…"   
  
"No!" Obi-Wan cried.   
  
Qui-Gon's voice became strained with each passing word, "Obi-Wan promise… promise me you'll train the boy…"   
  
Faithful to the last, he agreed, "Yes, Master…"   
  
"He is the Chosen One… he will… bring balance… train him!"   
  
Obi-Wan felt Qui-Gon's presence dim and falter in his mind and he knew there wasn't much time left for his Master. If he was going to do anything he would have to do it fast, or he would have broken the unofficial code among Padawans… letting his Master die.   
  
"No, you're not leaving now!"  
He focused solely on his Master, bringing a picture of him completely healed into his mind and releasing everything else into the Force until regained his centre. Bringing the Force around him, feeling it's comforting embrace in the Light, he wrapped it around his Master, guiding it to the wound, encouraging it to knit together and heal.   
  
Time seemed to stand still, though logic told him otherwise, as the hole in his Masters chest closed painstakingly slowly.   
  
"Obi-Wan… what… no…" Qui-Gon tried to push him away; the stream of Force he was supplying was dangerously high to uphold for any length of time.   
  
Obi-Wan's reply came through teeth that were gritted in concentration, "Not yet, Master."  
Passing the last of his own reserves through the bond he lifted his hand from Qui-Gon's chest and fumbled for the communicator on his belt with shaking hands, quickly conveying their position and a need for a medic.  
Stumbling to his feet Obi-Wan took a step towards Qui-Gon's fallen lightsaber and faltered, falling to the floor with the next step._   
  
The medical team arrived ten minutes later, but the only thing wrong with Qui-Gon was that he was tired from the shock of the battle and being stabbed directly in the chest -it was Obi-Wan that they couldn't help, and hadn't been able to help since then simply because there was nothing wrong with him. He was just exhausted. So exhausted in body and mind that he had fallen into the coma-like state he was in and until he'd sufficiently replenished his reserves, he'd stay like that.   
  
"Strong, Obi-Wan is, come back to us, he will." Qui-Gon started at the voice of Yoda having not heard when the wised green being entered.   
  
He nodded, rising to offer the seat to Yoda, "I know, Master."   
  
"Hmm, time he is taking, you are worried about." It wasn't a question. Yoda could still read him like the proverbial book even while levitating himself into a chair.   
  
"Yes, Master."   
  
"Return he will," he repeated, "Go to Skywalker you will. Train him, the Council now wishes, though agree I do not. Trials, Obi-Wan will take. Need not a Master for that."   
  
Qui-Gon allowed himself a brief smile in the moment; he would be permitted to train Anakin, yet Yoda, his own Master many years ago still didn't agree? Why? Could he not see what everybody else obviously now saw? "Why do you still wish him not to be trained?"   
  
Yoda frowned, the wrinkles that lined his face deepening, "Too old, is he. Too much fear, too much anger in him I sense."   
  
"He was a slave, he has every right to be angry."   
  
"Help him overcome it, you must. Move on from what is the past, he must."   
  
"He is the Chosen One, Master. He will bring balance to the Force."   
  
"Always so stubborn. Have not changed, in all these years. How know you that unbalanced, the Force is?"   
  
"Master -"   
  
"Hmph. Go to young Skywalker you will, teach him meditation." A firm whack from Yoda's stick accompanied the order. "Stay here, I will."   
  
Admitting defeat, Qui-Gon bowed and left the room, looking forward to seeing Anakin and to fulfilling his promise. He would be trained, become the most powerful Jedi Knight in the Order and bring balance to the Force.   
  
Yoda didn't move from the chair that Qui-Gon had offered to him, looking at Obi-Wan and placing a callused, two-fingered hand on his arm. "Almost ready, you are. Knight, you will be."

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**Post A/N:** How is it so far? I'm not sure about the characterisations... I've never written SW before, especially Yoda Please Review! I'll offer bribes!


	2. Of Waking and Discussions

**Authors Notes:** Hehe... these two chapters and whenever i finish the third one were supposed to be in one long prologue...but after "Of Diverging Destinies" it was looking to be really long... so i split them. Hopefully the point should be here a-sap!  
Another big hug and thanks to Shanobi for the tips she gave me last time... maybe this one will be a little more... y'know... _there._  
  
**Disclaimer:** Read the first chappy legal peeps. Too lazy to repeat :)  
  
**Review Thank Yous...  
Snow-Glory: Soon enough? Sadly I four exams (i think) this coming week... so i'll be writing when i can :(  
jedi71: Aw thanks :D Ones where Qui-Gon survives are my favourite too! Actually, pretty much any AU are my favourites...  
opals: my gut? icky... reminds me of the biology revision i've been doing! Let's hope it leads me the right way   
kyer: ta very much :D  
Shanobi: _pats her Yoda_ hehee -i was watching my brothers tape of ESB (which is sorta unofficially mine..) so hopefully that's what helped it, lol. Oh gawd i hope the comfort comes soon!   
Heehee... I don't like Anakin... so he'll be. Yeah. MUAH HA. Hopefully you'll like what I do with him   
Picturing the scene? _gulp_ in future chapters i'm gonna try to do that -not sure if this chapter worked out to well that way :S **  
  
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_Chapter One: Of Waking and Discussions_   
  
Obi-Wan rose to consciousness like a swimmer trying to reach the surface of a deep lake. He knew where he wanted to be, but getting there was taking a long time.  
His eyelids felt like Bantha's had decided to sit on them and it took him more strength than he felt like he had to pry them open.  
"Master?" If he could, he would have cringed at how weak his voice sounded.   
  
Qui-Gon wasn't by his bed like he usually was when he woke up in a hospital room, and even though he wasn't a child any more it was something he'd become accustomed to.   
  
"Welcome to the land of the waking, Jedi Kenobi." A Healer walked in smiling warmly and picked up a data pad from the end of his bed. "You gave us quite a scare for awhile."   
  
Obi-Wan smiled back gently, "Sorry about that, Healer…"   
  
"Tia-ni Lismari. So how are you feeling?"   
  
His immediate response would have been tired but experience taught him to use the Force to give him a better idea of any other injuries, finding none however he told the aging woman that he indeed simply felt tired.   
  
She nodded in an understanding manor, making an entry on the pad and placing it back in it's holder, "From the information about Jedi that Master Yoda has been telling me, and what Master Jinn could tell me about what you did, I dare say I'm not surprised. Do you remember what happened?"   
  
Ignoring the weariness that even now was beginning to tug at his eyes, Obi-Wan thought back to the last thing he remembered.  
Qui-Gon! The Sith!   
_He felt Qui-Gon's presence dim and falter in his mind and he knew there wasn't much time left for his Master. If he was going to do anything he would have to do it fast, or he would have broken the unofficial code among Padawans… letting his Master die… …Time seemed to stand still, though logic told him otherwise, as the hole in his Masters chest closed painstakingly slowly._  
But he killed the Sith, and healed his Master… yet there was nothing after that.   
_The black spots were quickly overtaking the majority of his vision as he stumbled to his feet and took a step towards Qui-Gon's fallen lightsaber. His head began to spin and he faltered, his sight dimming around the edges and he fell to the floor with the next step, letting unconsciousness lay its claim upon him._  
"I remember healing my Master, calling for a Medic, but nothing more after that -I passed out."   
  
"Nothing wrong with your memory then." She smiled dryly as she placed two fingers on his wrist, checking his pulse in an old fashioned manner.   
  
"Nothing wrong with memory of his? Hmph, if nothing wrong then ignored teachings on Force healings he did. Dangerous was what he did. " Yoda hobbled slowly into the room, stick tapping on the hard floor.   
  
"Master Yoda!" Obi-Wan tried to sit up further in the presence of the revered Master but found both his strength to do so lacking and Healer Lismari's hand on his shoulder forcing him to stay still.   
  
"You're not leaving this bed for at least a week, Jedi Kenobi." she said firmly.  
Though he sorely felt like sticking his tongue out he restrained himself to nodding instead. Besides, there was no way he would be staying in bed for a week.  
Yoda lifted himself into the plastic chair next to the bed hit Obi-Wan on the arm.   
  
"Remember, no getting up!" Lismari reminded him as she swept out of the room, leaving him alone with the apparently annoyed little Jedi.   
  
"Hm. Forget did you?"   
  
"No Master Yoda," he sighed, "I didn't forget my lessons."   
  
"So chose to ignore them, you did?"   
  
"Yes Master Yoda. My Master was dying, I couldn't just sit there and let it happen."   
  
"Knew how dangerous what you did was?"   
  
"I knew it probably wouldn't be recommended by the Healers." In truth, he didn't know at all really.   
  
"Recommended, you say? Be dead, you should be!" Another whack from the stick, harder this time. "Force has other plans for you, always in motion the future is."   
  
"Yes Master."   
  
"Hmm. Stubborn you are, like Qui-Gon."   
  
Another memory cut through to the front of his thoughts like a knife.  
_Qui-Gon's voice became strained with each passing word, "Obi-Wan promise… promise me you'll train the boy…"_  
Qui-Gon's last words were going to be about Anakin, that's how stubborn he was. Obi-Wan wasn't like that, if he ever got a Padawan he would never do that to them.   
  
Yoda's ears dipped, sensing the sadness from the human, "Taken young Skywalker as his Padawan, he has."  
Obi-Wan didn't move, he knew those words would come yet he'd no time to prepare for the blow that reminded him all to clearly of his early years at the Temple, being pushed aside for something, somebody, else.  
"Believe you ready, Council does. Trials, your battle against the Sith were."   
  
"No! Master Yoda, I wish to take Trials set by the Council, like every other Padawan of the Order."   
  
Yoda stared unblinking at Obi-Wan a picture of calm even as the other shifted uncomfortably, "Why wish you that? Devise something more challenging, we could not."   
  
"Padawan's complete their Trials alone, Master Yoda, I defeated the Sith with aid first from my Master."   
  
"Hmm. What you did, still no easy task. But if Trials you wish to take, arrange it Council will."   
  
"I want to take the Trials."   
  
Yoda nodded, slipping out of the chair. "Sleep now, you will. When wake next you do, Qui-Gon here will be."   
  
Obi-Wan nodded, needing little encouragement to let the Bantha's on his eyelids have their way and close.   
  
Anakin squeezed an eye open from his meditation stance and watched Master Qui-Gon. His Master.   
Meditating was beyond boring -all they did was sit and think about _nothing_. Not wizard at all. It was the complete _opposite_ wizard.  
It was supposed to relax him, centre him on the Force and all but it just so _boring_. No normal person could sit still for as long as Qui-Gon expected him to.  
"Focus, Anakin." Qui-Gon's voice was quiet, "You need to focus, release everything into the Force, empty your mind."   
  
"It's hard."   
  
"Then you must practice until it become easier." Qui-Gon stood up, stretching out his limbs with a slight grimace, "Practice for another hour then go and have some fun outside."   
  
Anakin waited until the man was at the doorway before scowling. If he was their Chosen One why did he have to do all this stuff anyway?   
  
Qui-Gon walked briskly through the corridors of the Palace, nodding to security personnel and other servants in the Palace as he passed them. Earlier Yoda contacted him to say Obi-Wan had woken up briefly, and though was now sleeping again would assuredly be awake again before the end of the day. Hence his direction now: the Medical Wing. Though he had considerably thinned their Training Bond since being told he would be allowed to take Anakin as his Padawan, he had not closed it off entirely. As such he already knew that Obi-Wan was awake, if nothing else, when he stepped through the doorway to his ex-apprentice's room.   
  
"Good evening, Master." Obi-Wan was sitting up against the backboard looking like he had been meditating.   
  
"Obi-Wan," Did he know that he was no longer his Master?   
  
The younger Jedi held up a hand, cutting off Qui-Gon in a way that would not usually have been acceptable, and "I know that you have taken Anakin as your apprentice, Master Yoda told me."  
Silence stretched between them that never used to be a problem but now felt like a suffocating blanket, what to say After over a decade of living and working together it was over, for good. No going back, no more meals, no more missions, no more training.  
"When are you to be knighted?"   
  
"After I take my Trials."   
  
Qui-Gon raised his eyebrows, "Was the Sith not enough for the Council?"   
  
"It wasn't enough for me. I don't want people calling me the Knight who killed the Sith."   
  
"But you did kill a Sith Obi-Wan."   
  
Kenobi stared at Qui-Gon much as Yoda had looked at him earlier, "But it's not the only thing I've done, and it's not the only thing I'll ever do. It was one moment in my life, and not a very defining one."   
  
"Just what would you consider defining Obi-Wan?" Qui-Gon questioned, leaning forward into his chair.   
  
He blinked purposefully and breathed out steadily, considering his answer. Killing any being should not be taken lightly, even one so dark as a Sith, but that wasn't what either of them meant. Defining moments of his life? "When you took me as your Padawan, when you gave me the river stone… when I completed my lightsaber… when I completed the thirtieth Kata for the first time without any mistakes.  
Whilst taking the life of that Sith was not nothing, it doesn't define me. I'm not just a killer; a Jedi only uses violence as a last resort. "   
  
The Jedi Master allowed himself a moments reflection on each of the memories Obi-Wan had mentioned and another to realise he'd just had one of the most important Jedi teachings thrown into his face.   
  
"I apologise, Obi-Wan, I didn't mean to insinuate anything. So when are you to take the Trials?"   
  
"As soon as I can get out of this Medical Wing and back to Corusant the Council will notify me of where I am to complete them." Despite his conviction to take them, Obi-Wan couldn't help but feel apprehensive -they weren't called the Trials for no reason. He had to run a hand through his hair to stop from fiddling with the white sheets.   
  
"Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon actually shifted uncomfortably in the seat, obviously trying to decide as to how to phrase his next words. Until finally, he decided to just say it exactly how he meant it. "Would you still allow me the honour of cutting your braid?"  
Once more a silence fell between them as Obi-Wan considered the question.  
This was the man who'd just cast him aside _again_ the minute he thought the Force was guiding him another direction. This was the man who'd refused to take him as his Padawan to the point where he'd been on a ship to AgriCorps. This was also the man that had been his mentor for twelve years, had seen him broken, bent, and his lowest… yet had still stood by him. Trying to imagine anybody else cutting the braid, which now neared his elbow in length, seemed impossibly wrong. Half his life had been spent with the man beside him, even if the few bad times were awful. Like only a few weeks earlier. But still…   
  
"Yes, Master."  
For one last time.   
  
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**Post A/N:** Reviews make me right faster, don't they?  
**Obi-Wan:** Yup. So maybe they shouldn't review...  
**Lani:** HAY! You don't even know what i've got yet!  
**Obi-Wan:** Maybe not -but i've seen what you do to other characters you like!  
**Lani:** Just ignore him folks... he's just scared! Review! I live on reviews! 


	3. Of Returning and Leaving

**Authors Notes:** Shanobi tips are good! Tips make me write better!   
  
**Disclaimer:** Read the first chappy legal peeps. Too lazy to repeat :)  
  
**Review Thank Yous...  
Darienetta Stoke: rolls eyesi shouldn't tell you about these things should I? Why're you reviewing this anyway -you should be writing! Go! Thanks though :D /grins/  
shadow warrior: hehe Obi rocks -he's my favourite too :D  
Princess-Kinky: Why am I deranged? I've been called many things... nutty, weird, insane... but never deranged Hopefully the characters will develop through the story... crosses fingers... i really don't want them to turn out 2-D :(  
Snow-Glory: Will he _completely_ forgive Qui-Gon? Ooooh what a question! Well, y'see, i'm not gonna say. He might though. Course he also might not... [yoda voice]always in motion, the future is.[/voice]  
Rieyeuxs: dancesyou like?! I LOVE IT when people like!  
Shanobi: I love tips! Tips are good! I didn't mean to hint i didn't want them hugs tips-i really don't like this chapter though, lol.  
Aida: Heheee angst. Gotta love angst! It may not come quickly but _oh boy_ i live for angst.   
  
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**  
_Chapter Two: Of Returning and Leaving_   
  
Despite Healer Tismari's orders, Obi-Wan didn't stay in bed for at least a week, rather after three days of resting he got up anyway to see how far he could walk without being found out and without falling over. The former, unfortunately, came first.  
"Just where do you think you're going?"   
  
So close. "Outside, I can't stay in that room any longer." The room was beginning to get suffocating; he needed to meditate in the fresh air for change to sort out everything that'd happened in the short space of the time.   
  
The Healer tapped a foot impatiently, "You're not strong enough to be wondering about yet, Jedi Kenobi."   
  
Obi-Wan stood up straighter, "I'm standing aren't I? I'm going to go outside."   
  
Hands on hips, she began to formulate an argument to list all of the reasons why he shouldn't be doing either of those things when the entrance of another caused her to stop and courtesy briefly,  
"Your Highness."   
  
Queen Amidala glided into the pale room with a practised ease. Unlike the previous times he had been in her company when she looked more like the porcelain dolls he'd seen on some planets, today she wore less make-up and an elegant gown, her hair held in place by some kind of red clip atop her head.   
  
He thanked the Force for her interruption and bowed formally.  
"Queen Amidala."   
  
"Padawan Kenobi." Her voice was low and neutral as she replied.   
  
"How can I help, you Highness?" Healer Tismari asked, knowing how unusual it was for the young Queen to come to this part of the Palace.   
  
"I wish to speak with Jedi Kenobi, may he walk with me?"   
  
Before the Healer could answer Obi-Wan held out his arm for the young Queen and led her to the outside he'd been trying so desperately to reach.  
"You wished to speak with me, my Lady?"   
  
The gardens were lush and beautiful, almost as calming as the Meditation gardens at the Jedi Temple, and somewhere water was trickling over rocks.  
Actually, she wished to thank him rather than talk with him. And also to pass on a message from Yoda and Qui-Gon that they'd had to returned to Corusant.   
  
Much to the chagrin of the medical staff, he continued to take walks around the gardens, extending each trip by a few minutes at the beginning and end each time, gradually feeling his old strength returning, so that when he himself returned to his home eight days later, there was little trace of the ordeal left as he faced the Jedi Council.  
Their faces betrayed no emotion or thought, giving a very sombre feel to the room, despite the high windows that were built into two-thirds of the circular rooms' walls. In fact, it was the consensus of the general population that the members of the Council had no feelings, that they were empty husks who simply pronounced judgement on a wide range of decisions. Outside of the Council Chambers, the majority of Jedi knew it was otherwise.   
  
"Masters." Bowing low he felt oddly off balance without Qui-Gon there with him, to oppose the highest-ranking members of the Order and do the actual talking.   
  
"Know why you are here?"   
  
"Yes, Masters."   
  
"Your Trials will begin tomorrow,"   
  
"A ship will be waiting for you at the sixth hour in Docking Port seven."   
  
"We will be monitoring you constantly,"   
  
"You are to have no help during that time,"   
  
"And you many contact nobody."   
  
They spoke with practised ease, finishing each others thoughts that flowed through the telepathic bond they shared as a Council.  
"I understand, Masters."   
  
"May the Force be with you."   
  
"And with you Masters." Bowing low once more he turned and left quickly; he needed to gather his things and meditate for tomorrow, after all, he thought, it might be the last time he truly got to rest for a long time.   
  
The next morning, when the sun hadn't even thought about rising yet, Obi-Wan moved sluggishly around the temporary rooms he'd been assigned to since Anakin had moved into the apartment he and Qui-Gon used to share. His things were still in the boxes that were obviously carefully packed by his Master.  
And since he didn't know his way around the unfamiliar layout, he managed to acquire several sore spots and bruises just making his way to the 'fresher.  
By quarter to six he was pretty sure his legs were going to make him pay, but at least after showering the amount of bumps (leading to bruises) greatly decreased and he was about to leave the Temple as a Padawan for the last time.  
If he didn't pass, he wouldn't come back. It was as simple as that.   
  
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**Post A/N:** Hmm. Don't particularly like this chapter so it'll be good to know what you guys think ;) (hint review hinthint)... it's just kinda an interlude to getting to the point One more chapter in the past and we'll be skipping a few years. Feed the author... review. You know you want to!  



	4. Of Knighthood

**Authors Note:** This chapter's better! :D Oh dear.... I was randomly quoting Yoda on MSN and then it evolved into Yoda dancing to "I like Big Butts"   
**Disclaimer:** Read the first chappy legal peeps. Too lazy to repeat :)  
  
**Review Thank Yous...  
Princess-Kinky: Heheee I didn't mean that I was offended, I just found it interesting! I can live with deranged, lol. Nutty too ;) So please don't apologise... i'm just here to write :D This one's a bit longer just for you :D  
lurker1: LOL cool name! _hugs the constructive criticism_ no i want it! Okay, so more showing less telling. I tried to do that in this chapter, so hopefully it shows a little but i'm gonna work hardest on the next one (i was already halfway through this one when i got your review)  
Rieyeuxs: I can live with that ;) Glad you still like it! (No, seriously!)   
  
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**_Chapter Three: Of Knighthoods_   
  
Obi-Wan knelt before his Master with his head bowed. After three weeks that were in the running for some of the worst of his life.  
Three weeks of mediating a dispute that he would normally want no part of. It reminded him too much of his early days as a Padawan, when he abandoned Qui-Gon to fight for a very similar cause.  
Three weeks of third guessing his second-guesses then chiding himself for not trusting his instincts and living in the moment.   
Three weeks with no one to talk to -it had certainly been unusual, having nobody to bounce ideas off that is. Usually on diplomatic missions such as that Qui-Gon would ask him what he noticed about each ambassador or leader, ask him what his conclusions were and possible outcomes of certain suggestions for the next day.  
When he meditated there was no glowing presence of his Master, comforting just by being there, only a thin link, attenuated to near nothingness by the distance now between them.   
  
Qui-Gon's voice bought him forcefully into the present.  
"Now that you are a Knight of the Order, I cut this braid that has been a symbol of your apprenticeship." The ivory-handled blade, used by Jedi Masters for centuries back into the far reaches of time, sliced through the braid hair by hair. "No longer are you a Padawan, but an equal, rise Jedi Knight Kenobi."   
  
It was easier said than done, his knees felt shaky and he was a afraid of what he would see in his Masters, Qui-Gon's, eyes when he looked up. Relief? Annoyance at his hesitation?  
With a push of determination, he rose to his feet and looked into the blue eyes he'd seen through so much.  
Obi-Wan searched them; finding nothing of what he'd feared only happiness and was there pride? Feeling his own surge of annoyance he released it with a steady breath. For a man who was so proud of his apprentice the Master certainly had an odd way of showing it. During his very early apprenticeship especially he'd worked so hard for even a twitch of a smile, for a 'well done', for a 'good work' and now, now that he'd been cast aside like an unwanted data pad Qui-Gon felt proud? After everything, only now?   
  
"Congratulations Obi-Wan." Once more the smooth voice pulled him from his thoughts, he forced a smile, struggling for it to look normal. "What do you plan to do know you are a Knight?"   
  
Obi-Wan thanked the Force for the distraction provided by Bant and Garen as they ran up to him from the circle of other Masters and Knights and friends.  
Garen, who'd been Knighted just a week before, grinned in a very non-Jedi manner and answered the question he'd apparently heard.  
"He's celebrating with us, Master Jinn. He missed my Knighting ceremony so we'll be having a double celebration!"  
Bant hugged him so tight he thought he heard a rib crack, and after managing to extract himself from the Mon Calmari's grasp asked, "I am?"   
  
"You are! Come on! Excuse us, Master Jinn." Pulling on his sleeve, Garen led him through the crowds with as much haste as possible, pausing only when Obi-Wan did (it was his Knighthood after all) which was for Master Windu and Master Yoda, and every other Jedi there.  
Garen and Bant exchanged amused glances -it seemed Obi-Wan made friends with anyone he spoke to, and it was even more amusing when a female Padawan practically draped herself over him. Garen almost doubled over.  
"Uh -Taya? Taya, please? Tay-" Obi-Wan tried to pull her off him but he didn't seem to be getting very far.   
  
Bant observed the scene with a little more dignity than Garen if only because she wanted to remember that particular shade of red her human friend had turned until the end of her days, "How long should we let him flounder like that?"   
  
Garen struggled to regain some composure as Obi-Wan got no further, "Forever, I'd say."   
  
"Yes but if he's stuck forever we'll never be able to tease him about it."   
  
"A fair point." Wading though the onlookers that had gathered to watch with growing amusement he politely asked Padawan Taya Parlipa if he could have his friend back.   
  
"You took your time! I thought she was going to become permanently attached to me." Obi-Wan glared at him openly, bidding his last hellos and farewells to more Jedi before escaping into the corridor. He would never like situations like that as long as he lived -even among the Jedi he felt like an awkward teenager. "Remind me not to hurry next time you're in trouble. And Bant, what is it with you women?"   
  
For that, he received a sharp swot from his female friend and a laugh from Garen.   
  
"What do you mean, what's with us women?" she asked in a dangerously low tone.   
  
"I don't mean it like that Bant," Oh nice going Obi-Wan, you been a Knight for little more than an hour and already you've endangered yourself by not thinking before speaking. Yes. Obi-Wan Kenobi, shortest lived Knight. Ever. "Bant, please, it's just that some women are a little odd, that's all I mean."   
  
"Obi!"   
  
"Wow, for a trained negotiator you're about as good as a hungry Hutt…"   
  
"You are not helping yourself her Obi. Why don't you just be quiet?"   
  
"Yes Master Bant."   
  
"I said be quiet Obi."   
  
It was probably a very good job there were no Masters around to see the two new Knights and senior Padawan as they weren't really the picture of Jedi serenity as Garen was snickering, Bant was glaring and Obi-Wan was looking quite contrite. And he was very aware of that fact.   
  
"Here we are, my new home." Garen keyed in the access code to his room and gave them a quick tour of the bedroom, the 'fresher and the kitchen/dining area/lounge area/study. They were much like Obi-Wan's own quarters.  
After some more pushes and shoves they all managed to squeeze onto the small couch and collectively mused if they would be able to manage this when their other friend, Reeft, was planet-side too and they calmed down thinking about it.  
Since now both he and Garen were Knights they would be leaving on missions quickly, probably tomorrow since the latter had asked for a delay until Obi-Wan returned, and Reeft and Bant were still Padawans it would become even more difficult to be all together at once -at least when they were Padawans their Masters were thoughtful enough to try and arrange their Temple quarter at the same times.   
  
"How do you think Reeft is?" Bant asked, playing wit Garen's hand.   
  
Pulling his hand back he replied, "Probably not having as much trouble with women as Obi."   
  
Obi-Wan sent him a smothering look. "I didn't know I was supposed to be good with women on a one to one level, it never came up in my training! But I suppose you're perfect with them?"   
  
"I'm not as daft as you!"   
  
Bant rolled her eyes, as a female she felt slightly miffed with the males sitting either side of her but let them have their bickering. In the morning she sensed they'd both be leaving anyway, so she wanted to remember this night.   
  
---   
  
Qui-Gon walked swiftly back to his quarters, though a chance to converse with some of his old friends would have been greatly enjoyed he'd promised Anakin he'd be back as soon as he could. The boy had been through so much in his short ten cycles and his mental 'People to Trust' list was so small that the Jedi Master didn't want to be responsible for making the criteria to join the list even smaller.  
Pride swelled within him at the thought of how far the boy had come. He knew Yoda would come around eventually, just like the Council had. The ancient Jedi couldn't deny the coming of the One forever, soon the future would be clearer as Anakin bought balance.   
  
The young one was tinkered with a metal object he couldn't identify from the doorway.  
"What have you got there, Anakin?"   
  
"A communicator."   
Was the only reply he got, it seemed his Padawan was quite immersed in his latest project, though he could sense nothing suggesting strong concentration through their fledgling bond.   
  
"Half an hour more and then bed, Ani."   
  
The affirmation took longer this time as he screwed something in and twisted some wires, "Yes, Master. G'night."   
  
Nodding, Qui-Gon returned to his own bedroom and settled into a meditation stance.   
The Force swirled around him and out in every direction. Reaching out he felt Anakin's signature, a bright glowing presence, out in the corridors of the Temple he felt others more subtly, having no bond with them meant it was harder to identify them by signature alone. The Temple was slowing down as the Initiates slept, young Padawans began to turn in and lights were dimmed for the night.  
Withdrawing back into himself he sank deeper, considering the look in Obi-Wan's eyes earlier.  
Those eyes looked, angry with him, though maybe that was too strong word. Annoyed? Upset? Vexed? He didn't understand, surely Obi-Wan wasn't still smarting from what he said in the Council Chambers? He must have understood why -how could the Chosen One have not been trained? Was he the only one who could see that?   
  
Now, however, was not the time for him to be trying to decipher the thoughts of his former Master and Padawan and settled for contemplating what Anakin had learnt today.  
Balance would come.   
  
---------------------------------   
  
**Post A/N:** Longer this time :D Next chapter will be in the "present day" of this fic.... see originally in my plan these 4 chapters were all in one prologe . Please review** _tugs at any lurkers_**... feed me, i'll staaarve!  
  
**Obi-Wan: How can you starve from no reviews? Why not just get a sandwich?  
Lani: Shut up or I'll hurt you.  
Obi-Wan: You'll probably do that anyway!  
Lani: Do you want that to be a certainty?!  
**


	5. Of Exhibitions and Initiates

**Authors Note:** Oh boy! Been writing this chapter all day! I don't know many eight year olds... so sorry if this seems a little off The Council I used here is the one that was in TPM -I figure even the short-term members would still be there after 4 years :)  
**Disclaimer:** Read the first chappy legal peeps. Too lazy to repeat :)  
  
**Review Thank Yous...  
Shanobi: MUAH HA! I did! I got sick of Lani Lalaith. Yup Qui-Gon is daft. pokes himstupid man. Shudda let him die.. but then i wouldn't have this fic LOL.  
lurker1: Ooo you liked the Qui-Gon/Anakin scene? Really?! I'm still working on how to go with those two... am trying not to let my severe dislike of Anakin get in the way Man those JA books are good -under your advice I re-read the most of #1 to find some info on them... i've only got up to #3 though, i need to find another bookstore that takes orders ;)  
Aida: /beams/ I'm sort of still deciding about Qui-Gon -he's a funny man for me to try and write. Ooo you likey Obi and and friends? yay! I wasn't really sure about that, I was trying to imagine how 23/25 year olds would "hang" with each other...  
Darienetta Stoke: Nagging is fine... it's when you hurt me with that neck pinch thing that isn't fine :P  
Rogue Leader: Hehe I like your stories -The Rose is great, I hope you continue it /hint/ ;)   
  
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**_Chapter Four: Of Knighthoods_   
  
Obi-Wan stepped off the ramp and hoisted the pack up onto his shoulder smiling. He was finally home. After four years of mission after mission with only a few days rest, if any, between each, he was on sabbatical. He might actually be able to relax, to spar with some other Knights and have that dinner with Bant he'd promised her last year. And in a week go to the exhibition of Initiates in the main sparring sale.   
  
His rooms, on one of the Knight levels, were now more like a home. He'd unpacked the boxes with some regret, finding many things of his apprenticeship and childhood, like a ship model he'd made from spare parts at fourteen. He hadn't spoken to Qui-Gon since the Knighting Ceremony, though he'd heard of his and Anakin's achievements through the unofficial Jedi Grapevine, apparently they made quite the team.  
One long shower later he checked his messages, a few from other friends, one from Reeft, one from Bant and an order from the Council to debrief. He sighed, acknowledging the order and reaching for his cloak at the same time. What had he expected? A long detailed message from Qui-Gon? The pair was probably on some Very Important Mission. Even after four years, with the knowledge he shouldn't feel such feelings and countless hours of meditation behind him, he still felt a sting of hurt whenever his former Master and Anakin were mentioned.   
  
The Padawan on Chamber duty bowed to him as he paced into the anteroom; apparently his thoughts had kept him occupied long enough to traverse the distance.  
Bowing in return he took a deep, steadying breath and the ceiling high doors opened at a languid speed. The stone doors, intricately engraved with symbols from throughout the centuries were one of the few automatic features of the Temple, refreshing reminder of times when complicated technology didn't power everything. No sensors were required here, just the pull of a lever or a hard push on the doors themselves.   
  
Walking steadily to the centre of the room he bowed low and waited to be addressed.  
The wait was not a long one and the debriefing didn't take very long -the mission hadn't been particularly difficult, for which he was very grateful. A simple matter of negotiating a border dispute between two countries that they'd requested a Jedi to oversee; it was a far cry from other's he'd completed.   
  
"Accepted your request for a sabbatical, we did."   
  
"What we wish to know is why you chose now and not a year ago when it was offered."   
  
Obi-Wan wasn't surprised, especially since he'd expected this and so the question posed by the baritone Mace Windu didn't leave him grasping for an answer.   
  
"I felt I would serve the Force better on missions at that time, Masters."   
  
"And what has changed in one year?" questioned Ki-Adi-Mundi.   
  
Obi-Wan organised his thoughts carefully, he may not have been grasping for an answer, but he still only had feeling, a nudging from the Force that he should return home, and that had fuelled his request. Somehow 'the Force made me do it' didn't seem quite right.  
"I felt the Force guiding me to return to the Temple, at least for a time."   
Yes that's it Obi-Wan, just rephrase it slightly and they'll never know. If he hadn't been before the Council he'd have rolled his eyes at himself.   
  
The Masters began conversing through their shared link, showing only slight turning of a head or shifting in a seat for some time. If Qui-Gon hadn't been such a rebel against the Council, therefore causing them to answer to the twelve beings more often than most, Obi-Wan might've begun to feel uncomfortable. As it was, he was quite used to it if he had no idea why they felt the need to discuss such a thing for so long. Many Knights took sabbatical, otherwise many would simply burn out.   
  
Yoda finally spoke.  
"Know of what the Force is guiding you to?"   
  
Obi-Wan nodded, "I believe it is to take a Padawan, Master Yoda."   
  
"You haven't even reached your thirtieth cycle, Knight Kenobi." Said Adi Gallia, her piercing blue eyes staring right into him.   
  
"I am aware that I am much younger than many when they consider first taking a Padawan Learner, however I have meditated on the matter. I believe that I am supposed to take a Padawan now."   
  
"So sure, are you?"   
  
"Master, I was prepared to take a Padawan four years ago." He felt obligated to point out.   
  
"Hmph. Mistake that would have been."   
  
Mace Windu bridged his palms and leant backwards, "Why can't you wait another four years, Knight Kenobi?"   
  
Obi-Wan wasn't sure which was more unsettling. Official diplomatic parties where one wrong step in a dance could force a treaty to fail, or being cross-examined by the High Council as they tried to find another motive to his actions.  
"I simply felt urged to return and see Initiates, perhaps the will of the Force is simply for me to take them under consideration.   
  
"We are not to know. We are to do." Yaddle's soft voice washed over the Council Chambers. It was a saying taught to Initiates when they didn't understand the significance of the task at hand. Once more, the Council talked silently.   
  
Obi-Wan wondered idly if every Knight had to go through this process, of if it was the fact that he'd been willing to defy their decree (against his own feelings on the matter) and train Anakin Skywalker four years ago meant he'd been unofficially black listed.   
  
"Accept this, we do." Yoda said finally, "Learned much in four years, you have. Good Master, you would be."   
  
Knowing a dismissal when it came he bowed low and left the Chambers with a much lighter heart.   
  
---   
  
Bant silently joined her friend around the edges of the training sale and watched the last of the first group finish up in their matches.  
"Do you know what you're looking for?" she asked with a teasing smile. Obi-Wan was staring so intently at each match in turn she was surprised he wasn't leaning over the sidelines to get closer.  
"I'm not sure." He muttered distractedly, flashing a quick smile of his own at his salmon-skinned friend.   
  
The only match of that age group left was that of two boys, both were very good for their age, she observed, as one rolled out of the way to avoid an attack that would have won the match. But they were tired, the one that rolled, a Malastarian took up the offensive as the other boy faltered. Within seconds they were finished and bowed to each other, worn out smiles gracing their faces even as all three of the Malastarian's eyes drooped.  
The Initiates cheered, welcoming them back among their ranks.  
Exhibitions were separated by age group, the twelve year olds had one day, the eleven year olds on another and so on. It was a time when Initiates over the age of seven fought each other before Knights and Masters, the older ones hoping to be chosen as a Padawan and the younger ones not always fully realising the potential of each day.   
  
"When do I get that dinner, Obi?" She asked as the Master overseeing the matches announced a short break before the next age group began. The dinner he'd promised her last year was the result of him loosing a bet -though if any Master asked they weren't gambling.   
  
"What about tomorrow night? Then I can get some ingredients, tell all those young female Knights to get out of my bedroom in time…"  
He gave her an innocent look. She knew he would never have any women in there anyway but it was too late to wipe the surprised look off of her face. She did have a chance to out do him though -by not honouring him with an astonished cry, rather moving quickly on to giving him a pleading look,  
"Can we have Souvant Kilop?"   
  
He nodded, "But then it's your turn. You can cook me something, for a change."   
  
She quietened the answer on her mind as the second group of twelve year olds filed onto the mats in pairs and bowed quickly at each other. Obi-Wan's attention focus centred on them immediately.  
There were four pairs, a humanoid boy against a humanoid girl, a Wookie (Bant always found it hard to tell whether a Wookie was male or female without being closer) against a Calamarian boy (whose name she knew to be Reca), a Cerean girl against a Quermian and another humanoid girl versus a Dresselian female.   
  
A bell from the training droid above began the matches and the movements began but from the look on Obi-Wan's face, he wasn't seeing what he was looking for.  
Ten minutes later the Exhibition was finished. Obi-Wan gave a dispirited sigh and left the room quickly.  
Placing a hand over his she pulled him to a stop and pierced him with a questioning gaze.   
  
He leaned against a wall and locked her with a confused gaze, "I was sure I would find what I was looking for."   
  
"There are other Initiates, ones that aren't twelve." She turned her huge eyes to down the corridor, "or maybe the Force meant for you to find something else."   
  
Obi-Wan shook his head, "I was sure it was today, the only thing on today was the twelve year olds Exhibition Day!"   
  
"Then go meditate on today." He was in his Stubborn Mode, something that he'd had since their days in the Crèche and been enhanced by Master Jinn's influences. She wasn't going to deal with a Stubborn Obi-Wan over something like this, when he could sort it out himself. "I'll see you tomorrow, at the eighth hour, Obi-Wan." Flashing him a smile, she patted his arm and headed back to her quarters, leaving him with his thoughts.   
  
---   
  
Obi-Wan let the Force wash over him, through him and around him until he was aware of everything in the Temple. While strongest in the Unifying side of the Force he'd taken Qui-Gon's words to heart and studied the Living Force heavily since his Trials. The result was, breathtaking. He could feel the waterfalls and the streams, the fountains of water and the towering trees, not far away there were five other Jedi, also meditating, in different spots around the large greenhouse-like room, and Yoda was ambling over to his position.  
Had he missed something today? This morning he felt so sure that he'd find what he was looking for, and yet at the Exhibition he felt nothing. Yes, the Initiates he watched were each good; by he hadn't felt drawn by the Force to any.  
Perhaps, for all his thought on the matter, he misinterpreted what he was meant to do.   
He felt Yoda settle comfortably on the granite rock next to him as he came out of his meditation.  
Blinking rapidly, he had failed to take note of the passing time and now the Corusant sky was pitch black. Thunder rolled in the distance.   
  
"Find what you were searching for, you did not?"   
  
"No, Master Yoda."   
  
"Hmm. Disappointed, you are. Doubt yourself, you do." The little green Jedi tapped the gimmer stick on his head, "Still do."   
  
"I was certain,"   
  
Yoda's wrinkles increased as he frowned followed by another hit on the head, harder than last -a reprimand. "Certain? Certain, nothing is. Presume much, you do. Presume you must look when events, Force will guide."   
  
"I should wait for it to happen?"   
  
"If will of the Force, that is, then yes. Wait." Yoda's ears perked and twitched, his eyes glazing, "Time for ones young as you to sleep. Off. Alone, I wish to think."   
  
Obi-Wan rose and bowed to the Master, thankful for the wisdom imparted and left him alone, taking a longer route back to his rooms so he could order his thoughts. His meditation had not been as calming as he might have hoped.  
Step slow, he was in no hurry to sleep but expected most to be in their rooms by now, after checking the time with the internal clock each Jedi could use simply by scanning the passage of time with the Force he found it well past the twenty-third hour.  
As such he was a little surprised when he found himself looking at a pair of eyes in the shadows ahead.  
Sensing no danger, he was intrigued. Looking into the corner whence the eyes appeared he saw a young Initiate retreating to the farthest point with panic rolling of her in waves.  
"Hello little one."  
With no response, he tried again. Bant said that the Initiates would often need talking to, distracting, while they got their shots to calm them down.  
"My name is Obi-Wan, I've been away from a very long time. Have you ever been away from the Temple?"  
Combining the words with a few soft touches of reassurance through the Force, he managed to get a small shake of the head.  
"Well, there's a planet called Cerea which is practically a paradise -the people of that planet work very hard to take away as much pollution as possible, do you know who Master Ki-Adi-Mundi is?"  
Another nod from the little Initiate, bigger this time.  
"Well he's from Cerea and he goes back to his home-planet every three years to give a little back to the place he was born. Do you know where you were born?"  
Although bought to the Temple at a very young age, Initiates were taught where they came from and some went back to visit their families, if it was requested by the child's relatives.  
A nod, then, barely audible, "Jardeni."   
  
Jardeni, a planet in a system not far from Cerean, was a hot one, known for it's tropical rainforests full of deadly plants of vibrant colours.  
"I've never been there, but I've been told that it's a very pretty planet too. Do you have a name, Initiate of Jardeni?"   
  
"Yessum." She scooted a little further out of the corner, "My name's Ashden, I'm eight."   
  
Obi-Wan gave her a bright smile, "Well it's nice to meet you, Ashden of Jardeni." Holding out a hand, he sent a comforting wave through the Force, feeling her panic and fear lessening as their conversation progressed.  
She stood up shakily and shook his hand, staring at him with wide eyes.  
"You're a Knight." She still spoke in a whisper.   
  
"I am indeed. Tell me, why is one so young as you out of her room at this time of night?"  
Looking at the floor, Ashden scuffed a barefoot across the tiles. They both knew she couldn't lie. "Why were you so frightened?"   
  
Another scuff. "I had a bad dream. Then everything got really loud so I left."   
  
"What do you mean?"   
  
"Everything. People."   
  
Obi-Wan's concern upped a notch. Extending his senses he felt for the girl before him in the Force… and found no shields; not even the most basic ones that were built instinctively not long after birth, or the ones that Crèche Master's taught them to build as toddlers.  
"Can you feel me?" he asked.  
She nodded and poked his head.  
"You're quieter than the rest."   
  
"Who're the rest?"   
  
"My friends -they is loud. Hurts." She paused; perhaps realising she shouldn't poke a Knight.  
Obi-Wan hesitated; he couldn't let her go on without shields, even until he took her to her Care Master near the Initiate rooms. It was dangerous, even within the Temple. She'd be able to sense everything, every feeling, every thought, every ripple and eddy within the Force.   
  
"If you like, I'll show you how to make them quiet again, then it'll stop hurting."   
  
"'Kay." Giving her another smile, he settled into a meditation stance and motioned for her to do the same,  
"Just relax, Ashden of Jardeni, just meditate like you've been taught."   
  
Watching her breathe deeper, he watched her carefully and began showing her how to build her own shielding.  
First of all, thick Durasteel strips, laid together like a fence until the first layer was complete, with no seams or spaces.  
Next, Transparisteel blocks. Lightweight but strong, a thick wall that prevented the majority of things getting through.  
Finally, lock down doors. Big, heavy doors, that could be pulled down and padlocked within seconds.   
  
"Better?" he asked, to find a pair of sleepy eyes looking unfocused, "Tired?"   
  
"Come on then, I better take you to your rooms before the whole Temple is alerted." Taking her hand he led her down the corridors to the level that held the Initiate rooms.  
It only took six of her smaller steps for him to realise she wasn't going to stay awake long enough to get there.   
  
"Obi-Wan Kenobi!" Care Master Da-Sarin rounded on him before he could even open his mouth. The careworn Jedi had been his Care Master too, so it was no surprise to find the woman pacing up to him. For a Jedi, she showed stress quite easily. While he was under her care, rumour told that that was why her hair was so white: she couldn't control her stress enough and her hair turned white.  
"Oh thank the Force! You found her! We've been searching for an hour!"   
  
"She was near the Room of a Thousand Fountains, Master Da-Sarin. She had a nightmare."   
  
"Well come on, come on, let's get her back into her room." Leading him past several doors, she stopped at the sixth one on the right, "It's the only empty bed in there." And she left him, stopping only to key in the access code. Obi-Wan shifted Ashden in his arms to close the door behind him and remembered a time when he used to sneak out of his room with Reeft to talk with one of his best friends, Bant or Garen.  
Settling her onto the sleep couch and arranging the sheets up to her chin he looked over the rest of the Initiates.  
They were a little young to start worrying about becoming Padawan's at the moment, though no doubt each of them wanted to be a Knight. In a few years the steady stream of worry would start to trickle through them as friends and peers became apprentices to Masters, but until then it would probably be the best time of their lives.  
When he was her age, his favourite thing was swimming in one of the gardens and taking a long walk with his friends back to their rooms. The route that he'd taken today was one he hadn't walked for years.  
One that he wouldn't have taken if it hadn't been for Yoda telling him, basically, to go away.  
The meddling troll knew something was going to happen.  
Obi-Wan flicked his eyes back to the young one he'd found on, tucking the covers around her tighter.   
  
---------------------------------   
  
**Post A/N:** Waddya think? Next chapter... _Of a Master's Musings .I._.... just gotta write it! Wish me luck -i've got a Chem exam and English Language exam on Monday cries 


	6. Of a Master's Musings I

**Authors Note:** First of the Master's Musings interlude's... these're just short interludes for uh, plot purposes _/wink/_ that i've yet to completely decide on :D  
**Disclaimer:** Read the first chappy legal peeps. Too lazy to repeat :)  
  
**Review Thank Yous & Replies...  
****Princess-Kinky: I have 1-3 of JA, but none of JQ... heehee let's see how Anakin turns out with Qui-Gon's influence over Obi-Wans.. here's the going on!  
Aida: Hay you never know, Qui might have his reasons! You never know... depends on how cruel i'm feeling. Either way it should be muchos pathos   
Peggy Schultz: wonder if you are right, I do. Well, okay, i don't wonder since i wrote the plot ;) But you don't know what it says Hehee Ani is annoying. The whole universe got screwed up by a kid that says "Yipeeeeee" waaay to often! How bizarre is that!  
Darienetta Stoke: Did you just compare me to an eight year old? LMAO! Well here's more... and HP, well. Yeah. I have HP-BOB blockage :(  
Snow-Glory: you like? that's what i like to hear! I'm really getting into the writing of it too so it's all good ;)  
****  
**-----------------------------   
  
_Chapter Five: Of a Master's Musings .I._   
  
It was the earlier hours of the day cycle, but the Jedi Temple was already awakening. Mace Windu and Yoda sat in the Council Chambers, where even the earliest fingers of dawn were only just beginning to creep through the high windows.  
"Do you believe that Knight Kenobi is ready to take a Padawan?"   
  
"Ready, he is. Question that, I do not."   
  
"What is it you question? He was willing to defy us to carry out Qui-Gon's wish."   
  
"Hm. Desperate, he was, please his Master, he wished." Yoda tapped his stick on the chair, "Talk of that, we will not. Chosen One is ready, realisation of that, he needs."   
  
Windu leant forward; sometimes Yoda spoke in riddles that even he didn't understand.  
"Skywalker is still young, his teachers say he is impulsive, emotional -he is ready for nothing. Qui-Gon is a good Master but Skywalker still needs much guidance." But despite his words, he searched the Force to see if he could decipher the older Jedi's words, if Skywalker had progressed further than he knew. Instead he found another answer.  
"You are not speaking of Padawan Skywalker."   
  
"Guide many actions, the Force does." His voice was low and he left the chair with practised grace to stare through a nearby window. "Clouded with darkness, our futures are. Seeping though everything, it is."   
  
"As it has for many years, as it increases our numbers decrease, we know this Master. Our numbers have never been so low and we have never been so needed."   
  
"Work of Sith, this is. Fear Obi-Wan killed Apprentice, I do. Spreading his influence, the Master is."   
  
Windu stood behind Yoda, watching the sun glint off of the surrounding buildings -there wasn't a trace of the storm left from last night. "This is the beginning of the battle."   
  
"Afford to loose this, we cannot."   
  
---------------------------------   
  
**Post A/N:** _/giggles/_ i've just got 5 exams left now! That means i start work again, aw man :(. Anyway, next chapter _"Of Tugging"_ is getting there... written about four pages and it's coming along nicely... will be here soon. Ish. I got a lotta fics on the go but this is my favourite! Please Review!


	7. Of Tugging

**Authors Note:** Quite a long chappy... i was trying to sort of build up a picture of Temple life while not completely ignoring the plot -tell me what you think, kay? Good or bad!  
**Disclaimer:** Read the first chappy legal peeps. Too lazy to repeat :)  
  
**Review Thank Yous...  
Aida: Ominious... that's actually what I was going for! I didn't want it to be to... i dunno, so ominious is brilliant! One order of Obi/Qui angst? Coming right up, will chapter eight be acceptable? And a side-salad of Anakin? grins  
Knight Kenobi of Eryn Lasgalen: Don't be afraid! Have no fear -especially when your review is near! :D I admit i may not have addressed it as much as that -but i will be sure to watch it now :) See... in this fic how Obi-Wan feels about Qui-Gon is very complicated -it's going to be shown, in aaah, Chapter Eight (ninth by ff's reckoning)... I really like your fic -i reviewed it :D Please carry it on!  
Darienetta Stoke: I may be short but i'm the same height as you! Almost!  
Janna Hawkins: blushthanks :D Glad I can help!   
  
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_Chapter Six: Of Tugging_   
**  
Obi-Wan set the places at the dinner table and checked the time. Bant should be arriving at any minute, the sauce was done, the vegetables were steaming… calm down, Kenobi, he told himself.  
A morning of sparring and mediation had cleared his head somewhat but not enough for his liking. The thought that Yoda was manipulating him wasn't a pleasant one and it seemed to be completely stuck into his head.  
The door chime broke through his reverie,  
"Evening Bant," he greeted,   
  
Bant, hugging him fiercely, looked behind him and let out a stifled cry,  
"Obi, I think you're over steaming the vegetables!"   
  
"What? Force!" Sprinting the few steps to the kitchen he wafted away the clouds of steam, trying to block out the laughs from his best friend. Peering into the pan he was a little dismayed -they looked rather wrinkled, but still edible so he arranged them on the plate and called out to his (still giggling) friend on the couch,  
"Bant, if you'll stop laughing and sit down… dinner is served."   
  
Settling onto the small table Obi-Wan settled into the familiarity that conversing with Bant held. Soon they were covering all matters of Temple life -something that, as a Healer, she was particularly knowledgeable on. It wasn't long before she broached a topic he wished she would let rot on a backwater planet on the furthest planet in the Outer Rim.  
"Have you spoken to Qui-Gon at all?"   
  
"No." Hoping that his tone would settle the matter he returned to the slightly over-steamed vegetable part of their Souvant Kilop.   
  
"Has he spoken to you?"   
  
"No." Qui-Gon was so wrapped up in his new apprentice's training he'd forgotten all about his last apprentice.   
  
"Doesn't that bother you?"   
  
"Bant."   
  
"Obi-Wan! You spent over a decade with each other, and now you haven't spoken since your Knighting?"   
  
Obi-Wan pushed the last of his meal away and fixed her with a hard look, "Bant, I don't want to talk about it."   
  
"Well I do."   
  
"But it has nothing to do with you!" he cried, running a hand through his lengthening hair.   
  
Reaching a hand across the table she grasped his, "As long as you are my friend it's my business."  
He covered hers with his and tapped clutched it tightly.  
"Why haven't you spoken?"   
  
"He's busy with Anakin, training the Chosen One doesn't leave much time to reminisce with old Padawans." He said, keeping the bitterness from his voice by sheer force of will.   
  
Eyes hardening she set her jaw, "Then he's as foolish as he is short-sighted!"   
  
"Bant!"   
  
"Obi-Wan you don't have to defend him anymore!"   
  
"You shouldn't say that about any Master!"   
  
"Sithspit, Obi." Taking a drink of Muju juice she changed the subject as abruptly as she'd brought it up, "Now, have you heard from Reeft lately? I hear he's been having an interesting time on Siegen."   
  
Reeling from the suddenness Obi-Wan openly stared at her before conjugating a sentence, "Yes, he sent me a message… something about traditions and -"   
  
"Dancing girls!"  
The message, while brief, had been highly entertaining. On Siegen a Jedi had been formally requested through the Senate to oversee the handover of power from one King to the next, and apparently Reeft ended up being coerced into attending the traditional dinner afterwards… that involved dancing girls.   
  
"He didn't have time to tell me what he did, did he tell you?" he asked eagerly,   
  
Bant grin stretched almost from eye to eye, "He said he couldn't be present at such a display because it went against the Code!"   
  
"You mean -"   
  
"He saw a girl he liked!"   
  
The following hours passed in a much lighter mood, evidently Bant had got her annoyance at Qui-Gon out of her system and Obi-Wan basked in the normalcy of it.   
  
The next morning arrived with an order from the Council to run a requested errand for the Supreme Chancellor.  
The Nubian man fixed him with his trademark smile that ever failed to put him at ease, "Greetings, Knight Kenobi."   
  
He bowed, "Supreme Chancellor, how can I be of service?"   
  
"Ah yes, straight to business I see?" Robes swirling around him, the greying man went to his desk and picked up a data pad, still smiling, "I'm afraid that the contents of this data pad mustn't be read by anyone to anyone, hence why I called for a Jedi."   
  
"I understand, Chancellor. Whom am I taking it to?" Obi-Wan kept his voice carefully neutral; it wouldn't do to have the man know how much he detested politicians.   
  
"The Rhodian Embassy, if you will."   
  
"Of course, Supreme Chancellor. I will deliver is as quickly as possible."   
  
With a final bow, Obi-Wan turned on his heel and left. It was a poor state of affairs indeed when the Jedi were such at the disposal of the Senate that they were messengers. He was curious as to what the data pad held if the Chancellor wouldn't even trust the communication system.   
  
Predictably, he was only too pleased to return to the Temple after the greasy talks of politics he'd been caught up in at the Rhodian Embassy with their Senator. He was also rather surprised to feel the Force pushing him to the Mess Hall, along with his stomach.  
Loud, lively and full of food, the mess Hall was probably one of the finest parts of Temple Life that visiting Senators, which came rarely anyway, never got to see.  
"Obi-Wan!"  
Cad-I-Lin Miens, a blue-skinned Peersi, whose race all had black irises and were by definition at least six feet tall, was a Knight a few years older than he, called him over from his position in the wide doorway.   
  
"Afternoon Cadi," he replied after fetching a tray of food, "How have you been?"   
  
"Last -" Her reply was cut off by a ripple of darkness through the Force, followed by a loud crash from a group of Initiates in a corner, "What in Force!"   
  
Five strides and they were at the cause -one Initiate was on top of another. Fighting.  
Cad-I-Lin lifted one off whilst another Knight, a five-foot tall Yehiti with almost pure white skin, grabbed the other. Obi-Wan knelt down to the nearest onlooker,  
"Can you tell me what happened here?"  
The girl turned around, and Obi-Wan did a re-take. This was the girl that he'd found hiding a few nights before,  
"Well hello Ashden of Jardeni."   
  
She gave him a pleading look and explained as thoroughly as she dared, "Zar said something to Sa-Bay and then they started to fight, but Sa-Bay didn't mean it! Zar is always being mean to him!"   
  
"Who started the fight?"  
She looked at her feet and tugged the green tunic, not answering.  
"Who started the fight?" he repeated, lifting her chin, forcing her to look at him.   
  
"Sa-Bay. But it was Zar's fault!"   
  
"I'll remember that, why don't you go and finish your lunch? We'll take care of Zar and Sa-Bay."  
Reluctantly, she turned and gave Sa-Bay, a remorseful look and re-joined the table of Initiates that was now missing two.   
  
"I'll take these two to their Care Master," said the other Knight, "I'm sure they won't cause any more trouble."   
  
Cad-I-Lin nodded and returned to her table, Obi-Wan halted, and said in a low voice only the other Knight could hear,  
"Though young Sa-Bay started the fight, I hear he was provoked."   
The shorter man nodded and led them off, and Obi-Wan returned to his meal.   
  
"That was, odd." She observed, tapping her fork on the side of her tray, "It didn't feel like an Initiate's anger."   
  
Obi-Wan shook his head in the affirmative, the ripple felt much stronger than it should have been over a simple fight it felt, "Older than they. Do you think we should inform the Council, Cad?"   
  
"Yes, if they didn't feel it themselves." Finishing the last of her own food she pulled a slight chagrined look, "I have the honour of a meeting with them in an ten minutes, I'll tell them then." Bidding him farewell she left him alone to consider the ripple.  
While taught from a young age the mantra 'Peace over anger' many Initiates found it hard to achieve at all times, himself included, so while fighting itself was unusual, the loss of temper wasn't… but still. The darkness felt familiar, making the hairs on the nape of his neck raise.   
  
A number of extended errands later, thankfully all having nothing to do with the Senate, Obi-Wan fell onto his sleep couch gratefully. Doing nothing was awfully tiring in his opinion, and it wasn't long before he fell into a comfortable slumber.  
_Haunting laughter reverberated around the metallic room, not a happy haunting laugh, a manic, laughter. The kind that sent chills down spines. Robed in black, a figure loomed menacingly above him, face shadowed by the overhanging hood.  
The voice, cold and unfeeling made him sick with fear but he didn't know why.  
"You are mine."_  
Obi-Wan bolted awake as he hit the floor, entangled in sheets sticky with cold sweat.  
Hands shaking, he pulled the sheets off and stood on wobbly legs and went to the kitchen for a glass of water, mind reeling.  
The nightmares, they came sometimes, not regularly or often just occasionally, each time the same laughter, the same mysterious figure. Meditation never revealed answers, regardless of the hours spent contemplating and exploring… there was only one thing to do.  
It was ten past the fourth hour, a little early but the Temple would be starting its gear up to the day, first members of the Council like Yoda and Yaddle, then Healers, then the youngest Initiates of two and three.  
A good session of Kata's would ease his taught muscles as well as giving him a good work out.   
  
Two-thirds of the way through the thirty-third form an eddy shook him to a stop. Mystified he looked around the room for the disturbance and found… nothing. Just a class of Initiates and the Master of their lesson at the opposite end.   
  
"Knight Kenobi!" Master Windu hailed him with a wave of a hand, motioning for him to come forth.   
  
Still puzzling over the eddy, Obi-Wan jogged over to the dark-skinned Master, "Yes Master Windu?"   
  
"I was hoping to demonstrate the ninth Kata to these young ones, would you care to assist?"   
  
"Of course."   
  
Setting himself into the ready position, the Master called out each position at a steady pace, explaining each as he demonstrated it, allowing Obi-Wan to give the group a cursory glance. Dressed in the customary green tunics and trousers, two showed themselves to be Padawans by the braids that fell from behind their ears and their tan tunics.  
One, a Tanceren whose dexterous tail was currently completely still, hanging by her shoulder and the other a red-furred Oaefien knelt, eagerly soaking in as much as he could.   
  
And then he found that he really needed to speak with a Master.  
Any Master… Windu, Yoda, Gallia…   
  
Once again he found Ashden sitting in the class, listening intently.   
  
Feeling his eyes on her she smiled shyly at him and he couldn't help but think the Force didn't work in quite as mysterious ways as it would have them believe.   
  
---------------------------------   
  
**Post A/N:** Quite long.... sighslooking at my plan the fic is gonna get steadily darker from chapter eight onwards. i liked the lighter bit lol. anyway _gets out a long stick and pokes any lurkers_ c'mon... out and review... you know you want to! I'll offer bribes and Obi-Wan or Qui-Gon or even Anakin Plushies 


	8. Of Talks and Rocks

**Authors Note:** _jumps up and down like a pHreak_ OMG! SO many reviews! Made me write faster! Anyway, I'm going to be working really hard on the next chapter because i have to come to a few decisions about it. And write good angst because i promised Aida there would be lots ;)  
**Disclaimer:** Read the first chappy legal peeps. Too lazy to repeat :)  
  
**Review Thank Yous...  
Lena Breeze: Ooo thank you times two lol! Look see! Your patience paid off!  
Princess-Kinky: Going on...  
Snow-Glory: Any review is a great review _gobbles them up_ hmm yummy :D Ouch any sprained body part is not good! And 25 years of stuff! That's impressive! Is Ashden dark-sidey? Is Obi-Wan gonna get hurt? All will be revealed.... eventually ;D  
Kusco: Obi-Wan rules ;) _holds onto the interest dearly_ it's gonna get better! honest!  
Badger girl: Thankies :D The next chapter is up..... in three... two.... one... now!  
Aida: The dinner went well? _breathes easier_ I was kinda winging it with that scene, old friends are hard to write!  
Knight Kenobi of Eryn Lasgalen: _shusssh_ no one s'posed to know who it is....  
Darienetta Stoke: _hands out the Obi-Wan Plushie_ take it!  
Janna Hawkins: You like Bant? And the vegetables? I think my job here is done.... :D I never know whether Obi-Wan can cook or not lol!  
**   
  
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_Chapter Seven: Of Talks and Rocks_   
  
Once again Obi-Wan found himself mediating in the Room of a Thousand Fountains, and once again he felt Yoda approach.  
It seemed the revered Master had taken an unusual interest in him.  
"Good evening, Master."  
Yoda was settled on the grass opposite him, ears dipped in thought and gimmer stick laid at his side.  
"Many questions, you have."  
  
Obi-Wan closed his eyes, sorting through the thoughts that he'd been working over, "A great many."  
  
The wrinkles around his eyes deepened, "Hmm. Ask me, you will."  
  
"Master Yoda, I'm sure you have more pressing matters to deal with than listening to a Knight and his doubts."  
The stick flew up and rapped him on the shoulder of its own accord, effectively reminding him of who made whose decisions,  
  
"Make that decision, I will. Ask your questions, discuss them, we will."  
  
Obi-Wan felt discomfort itch at the edges of his mind. Questions that circled his mind were questions that one would ask his Master, or ex-Master if past Knighthood… however Qui-Gon was the cause of a good few of his questions.  
  
"Hmpf. Speak, you will!"  
  
Throwing caution to the Force, he began on one that he knew was spoken of throughout the Temple in hushed tones away from the young ones. "Do you believe the Sith is the cause of our decreasing ability to use the Force?"  
  
"Believe it, I do not. Unfortunate it is, that it is true."  
  
"Will we be defeated?"  
  
"Uncertain, always in motion, the future is."   
  
Obi-Wan nodded, the truth while not comforting was the truth and something one shouldn't shy away from.   
  
"My own question, you will now answer Obi-Wan. Spoken to Qui-Gon, have you?"   
  
If paranoia weren't against the code, he would have been very suspicious of Bant and Yoda for conspiring with each other.  
"No."  
  
"Stubborn, you both are."   
  
"Master he has moved on from that part of his life, as have I. The present and the future are what matter."   
  
"Forget the past, you must not!" Yoda got to his feet, jabbing the cane at the young Knight, "Depend on our past, the future does. Determined by our history, the present is! Ignore it, you cannot!"  
A little taken aback by the sudden steel in the usually subtle Masters voice, Obi-Wan couldn't respond.  
"Stubborn you were already, before Qui-Gon. Gained his affinity for it as well, you have. Need that, you did not. Returning to the Temple within the day, he and Padawan Skywalker are. Speak, you will."  
Feeling the bottom fall out from under him, he realised why Bant had bought the subject up -she knew. She knew he was coming back, was going to be here at the same time as he was, and didn't tell him. Now he had to face him.  
"As you wish, Master Yoda."  
  
Seating himself once more, Yoda's ears twitched and he relaxed. "Move on, we will. Other questions you have?"  
Understanding the previous line of conversation was gloriously over; Obi-Wan knew he needed to seek advice.  
"Am I ready to take a Padawan?"  
  
"Levitate these rocks, can you, whilst speaking with me?"  
Giving him a confused look, Obi-Wan reached for the Force and wrapped it around the rocks close at hand, imagining a lasso pulling them upward.  
"Good, concentrate. Believe you are ready do you?"  
  
"Yes, Master Yoda but I am doubting my thoughts."  
  
"Doubt, you have always had, ungrounded it is, has always been. Force led you here, followed it you did without question. Feel you, that it wishes you to take an apprentice?"  
  
Balancing the rocks, he felt through the whispers and pulls all around he sought for answers he used to know,  
"She is too young."  
  
"Chosen one already, have you?" A trace of humour graced his gravel voice   
  
"You know her, she's the young one that was reported missing for a few hours a few nights ago."   
  
"Initiate Fahaay, this is the child you speak of?"  
Taking a moment to note Ashden's last name he nodded.  
"Too young, why do you say this?"   
  
"She's eight years old."  
  
"Know that I do. Need to be twelve, an Apprentice does not, know that you do."   
  
"So you think I should?"   
  
Yoda slipped into a meditative trance, falling into the Unifying Force. Shadowed feelings and flashes of the future came to his awareness but he moved past them, he'd consider them at another time, and focused on the Knight's true signature.   
  
"Doubt yourself, you should not."   
  
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**Post A/N:** _phew_ glad that's out of the way.... next chapter soon. Hopefully. I start my 6th form induction on Monday but i've got a couple more exams before then... ack. Everything seems well bad at the moment.... things'll get better soon lol. Aaah the optimist in me! Whoah.... i'm watching Joan of Arcadia and it rocks. Which is weird... because it has God in it. But it's funny as hell! And i'm crushing on the Cute Boy God -the first one she saw who she said she had a crush on too. I'm rambling... shutting up! Please review again! I have _uuuh_ multi-coloured glow sticks this time! 


	9. Of Unbecoming Feelings

**Authors Note:** Author's actual notes and all the review thank yous are gonna be at the end of the chapters from now on, just so you know :)  
**Disclaimer:** Read the first chappy legal peeps. Too lazy to repeat :)  
  
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_Chapter Eight: Of Unbecoming Feelings_   
  
Obi-Wan paced his apartment back and forth. Qui-Gon was back at the Temple. Qui-Gon. Feelings very unbecoming of a Jedi rose up in him at that name, recent feelings that contrasted with warm memories of a lifetime ago. Time didn't take the edge away from them; it sharpened the blade and slicked it with bitter black poison that reeked of… feelings very unbecoming of a Jedi.  
There was also the eddy, his talk with Yoda and Ashden Fahaay.  
A headache was forming behind his eyes and gathering power while his footsteps gathered weight.  
He couldn't deal with Qui-Gon, that situation was beyond his control. It span away years ago and whenever he tried to catch it again it teetered within his grasp, taunting him for a few minutes and he thought he could handle it but then it ripped away again, leaving him behind to stare.  
The eddy… he would decipher that with time. Time, and observation, they would be the key to that minor mystery that would unlock the pattern he remembered as it disrupted the Force's pattern. Though nobody else sensed it as he did, some quiet questions revealed a Temple on edge… everybody felt it like animals felt a storm on it's way. Babies were crying, toddlers were restless, Masters were watchful without knowing quite why.  
Yoda… he'd lived with Yoda and his ways all his life.  
And Ashden Fahaay, he would do what he came here to do. He was defeating the object of following the Force to the Temple if he wouldn't follow it to one little Initiate.  
He'd sort that out after the classes finished for the day.  
Until that time, in three hours and sixteen minutes, he would be avoiding any place Qui-Gon might be, there was a time and a place for such discussions and as far as he was concerned the time was years in the future when he was senile and the place was nowhere he would ever go.  
Finally, a plan that he could put into action.  
  
Three hours fourteen minutes later, having helped out in the Crèche, found out what classroom Ashden was in for her last lesson, sparred with another Knight, showered and changed he stood beside the doorway to said Classroom L4 where the Mathematics lesson was just finishing and the fastest students were already leaving.  
At long last -each second was taking forever- she came out with three others, talking animatedly about something.  
"Initiate Fahaay?"  
As one the four turned around, each with identical looks of shock on their faces that delayed their reaction times. It was a dark-skinned Maimew with droopy ears down to her shoulders that bowed first, then the others followed suit.  
"Knight Kenobi, can I help?" Ashden greeted, a curious expression written on her face.  
  
Taking a deep breath Obi-Wan was determined not to let the immense anxiety he felt show when he spoke again. It wouldn't do for the pre-teens to no he was nervous about speaking with an eight year old. "Would you come for a walk with me? I wish to speak with you."  
Not bad, Kenobi. This could be good practise for when the little green one forces Qui-Gon and I into one room and bars the doors.  
  
"Yes, Knight Kenobi."  
  
Making sure he kept a slower pace to accommodate her shorter legs they walked silently through the high-ceilinged corridors until Obi-Wan found a suitably quiet, relatively un-used meditation garden.  
Settling by a small pond, he looked at her carefully. Typical to Jardeni and it's hotter climate her hair was dark, pulled back in a sensible ponytail from olive skin.  
Brown eyes looked at his, questioning.  
  
"Do you like being a Jedi, Ashden?"   
  
"Yes, Knight Kenobi, I like it a lot."   
  
"What would you like to be when you grow up?"  
Whilst those not wise to Jedi ways might think this a strange question, thinking a Jedi is a Jedi, they would be thinking wrong. If not chosen by their thirteenth birthday Initiates were sent to AgriCorps to put their abilities to use by growing food on planets that otherwise wouldn't for whatever reason -a fate he almost suffered, and then there were the different types of Jedi Knights, specialities if you wanted to define it. Bant was trained as a Healer, he in diplomacy for the most part -though he was very able at other, more violent missions, especially since his Knighthood.  
Some preferred to stay at the Temple, or other Jedi outposts that were sparsely dotted around the galaxies and philosophise or others still, those like the permanent members of the High Council, dedicated their lives to the Force and weren't influenced by the outside… however these latter choices were usually made after a decade of Knighthood.  
All Ashden had to decide was if she wanted to be a Healer or a Knight.  
  
Her eyes lit up and she bounced from her knelt position, "I want to be a Knight."   
  
"Would you like to be my Padawan?"   
  
Perhaps not the most formal question to ever be formulated as a way of asking, it was the best he could think of.  
And the grin that broke over her face answered his question in the same informal method before she schooled it to a more neutral version   
  
"I would be honoured to be your Padawan, Knight Kenobi!"   
  
Feeling the apprehension flood outwards and away, all that was left was to ask the Council's permission -a required formality in place to protect the children since the days of the Sith Wars.   
  
Walking out of the Council Chambers with Ashden one step behind and to the left Obi-Wan should've known the positive happenings of the day were going to end.  
It ended at a junction of hallways with a collision.  
  
"Hey!"   
  
"Sorry!"   
  
Ashden had walked straight into a blonde haired Padawan and anger sliced through the air. It startled him to say the least, especially when the Master said nothing.  
A swish of hair now more salt than pepper arrived on the seen. A tall figure held in a stance so familiar.  
Qui-Gon.  
The famed Master for skill with a lightsaber and known for never letting a failure go unnoticed didn't say a word about the surge of anger that couldn't have gone unnoticed from the Padawan.  
Anakin.  
  
Decorum reminded him that Qui-Gon was a senior member in the Order. He bowed, noticing Ashden quickly followed suit.  
"Master Jinn." Yoda may have ordered him to speak with his former Master but he never specified a minimum word amount.   
His plan of action had not included run-ins with ex-Masters and their Padawans, especially not literally.  
Qui-Gon turned dark blue eyes to him, impassive, as Anakin's should have been. There was no trace of anything in those eyes. No trace that Qui-Gon was pleased to see him, no trace of regret for not speaking to him in four years, no trace of anger at he, Obi-Wan, for not sending a single letter over four years.  
The perfect picture of Jedi serenity, just as he had always been.  
"Obi-Wan." He greeted, "How have you been?"  
  
Somehow, that was worse -that expression of interest in his well being after four years of nothing.  
Forcing it down (he would have to meditate for a long time at some point, lately these feelings that were very unbecoming of a Jedi were coming more frequently and he found it harder to decipher where they came from) he held Qui-Gon's gaze. He would keep himself to himself, be aloof but not cold. Especially not with Ashden watching at his left, the girl needn't get pulled into this complicated mess.  
"Very well thank you. Yourself and Padawan Skywalker?"  
  
Anakin interrupted, impatience written through his signature, "We were on our way to the Council Chambers."  
  
Giving his head a mental shake when, once again, Qui-Gon left the teenager's lack of control unchecked he cocked his head in respect. "By all means don't let us interrupt, may the Force be with you."  
  
And he left. Without looking back. Until,  
"Obi-Wan the Council can wait, I wish to speak with you."  
  
"Master -"   
  
"Anakin go to the waiting rooms, I'll be with you shortly." The words might have sounded harsh if they weren't accompanied by an understanding smile.  
Now stuck between rock and hard place, Obi-Wan couldn't continue walking but he did not want to turn around either. He wasn't ready for this.  
"Master?" Ashden's voice was unsure. Ten minutes as Master and Padawan was not long enough to decipher why Qui-Gon's words made him stand stock still…. Decades probably weren't long enough to decipher why. It was, complicated.  
  
"Why don't you find your friends? I'm sure they'll wonder what I wanted to talk to you about."   
  
She cast a glance at the two Jedi behind them, back to him and then understanding of something crossed her face. Sometimes the lack of emotion spoke more than the presence of it. "Yes Master."   
  
With both Padawan's safely away Yoda's order to speak with Qui-Gon was the rock and Qui-Gon himself was the hard place. It was also increasingly difficult to keep the bitterness he felt out of his voice.  
"What did you want to talk to me about?"  
  
Surprise coloured the older Jedi's own voice, "You've taken an apprentice?"   
  
"Yes." Impatience floored him. Qui-Gon had no right to questions like this, no right to surprise his taking a Padawan when Qui-Gon wanted him to take Anakin four years ago. "What do you want? I have to report to Housing to sort out new rooms."   
  
"Obi -"  
That nickname, the one that his friends used was one that he was not allowed to. Not any more. Not ever again.  
"My title is Master Kenobi, Master Jinn."  
Twelve years of experience lent knowledge of subtle changes in expression, and right now surprise flitted across the leonine features.  
  
"Forgive me, Master Kenobi. I…" The older Jedi trailed off obviously at a loss for words. Obi-Wan's face was hard, his changeable eyes a cold grey staring at him through thick lashes. There was no wish for a deep and meaningful conversation in those eyes. "Anakin and I are to be staying at the Temple for three months to give him some stability -"   
  
It was somewhere during that sentence that Obi-Wan felt something break. Something that held everything he'd felt towards his Master behind a tightly locked dam had been suffering from serious cracks for the last year, and that sentence was the key fissure.  
Ten-tonne slabs of emotions weighted on his chest making his breath come out in harsh gasps.  
"Wh -why?"  
  
Qui-Gon took a step forward, as if to put a hand on his shoulder but stopped, "What?"  
  
"You left me for him -a boy you just met -you pushed me aside like I was _nothing_, you could only think of _him_ when you thought you were going to die! I could never bring myself to write to you because _you_ never thought to write me! You cast me aside and ran back to the Temple with your greatest Padawan like I never existed! Did you regret taking me as your apprentice so much?"  
  
Qui-Gon rose to his full height, crossing his arms. "I should think a Master of your status would be able to understand my actions, Anakin is the Chosen One; he must be trained to bring balance to the Force. Jealousy is not becoming on you, and certainly not of a Jedi. Did I teach you so little?"   
  
His chest heaved and his eyes stung. There was a tornado inside him and he didn't know how to control it. "You taught me to follow my instincts in the Force! When I told you the boy was dangerous you dismissed me like a child who didn't understand!"   
  
The other shook his head disdainfully. "If you cannot see what is right in front of you then you are a fool, Obi-Wan, and taking you as my Padawan was a mistake. The Order doesn't need fools."   
  
Obi-Wan reeled as if he'd been struck.  
So the truth was finally out. Qui-Gon always regretted taking him on, a burden for a dozen cycles he'd been only too glad to get rid off for one so much better, so much stronger in the Force.   
  
This time when he left no voice called him back. He strode straight Housing without pause for thought. There was a keening ache that started in his stomach, spread to his chest and filled his throat, blossomed in his mouth and thickened his tongue to the point that he had to give his request to the droid via a keyboard because the words wouldn't come out. They were caught behind the wave of self-doubt that Qui-Gon bought straight to the forefront of his mind and confirmed in one fell swoop.  
Yoda words echoed dimly around his mind but he was finding it hard to register them,  
_"Doubt yourself, you should not."_  
How could he not doubt himself when his doubts were just proved? Even though four years on his own gave him a larger sense of confidence than ever before, including knowledge of his own abilities and where his limits lay… however Qui-Gon was a doubt engraved to deeply to be erased and forgotten in four years… maybe in forty it would've faded a little.  
  
"Your new rooms will be ready by the sixth cycle." The droid's monotone voice interrupted the thoughts that weren't going anywhere other than in circles, however it had freed up his speech and he thanked the droid -distress at an ex-Master was no excuse for not thanking one for help.  
It was also no excuse to forget about the eight year old he just became Master and guardian of -the eight year old who was probably wondering why she was sent away.  
  
"The past is the past, Kenobi," he muttered, shaking his head as if it would clear his thoughts, "It can't hurt the present."  
  
-----   
  
A billowing cloak topped with an overhanging hood shadowed the man's face as he spoke. The bounty-hunter shifted his weight from foot to foot -his latest employer was a well-paying one for sure and his job challenging but that wasn't what disturbed him, the very air around the man was _off_, unsettling one even as hardened as he was. A life of crime, killing and worse led to a cold disposition. His latest employer, known only as Ar-Es in all of their transactions, was so cold he burnt.  
"Where is the Jedi now?"  
  
"DeeBeeBee-ed in a storage container at the loading bay as you ordered." _DeeBeeBee_ was criminal slang for drugging, binding and blinding any Force-sensitive, rendering them completely helpless from the drugging, unable to move anyway from the binding and unable to access the Force from the blinding.  
An expensive job, if you could even get the Jedi in the first place.  
That's why he was the best.  
  
"You told no-one?"   
  
"Not even my closest source. "   
  
His last thought, in the half of a second before the blade sliced though his neck reverberated around his mind. Not the best.   
  
Ar-Es stepped over the body disdainfully and slipped like a wraith to the container where the Jedi lay.  
"Are you what I'm looking for?"  
He stroked the side of Jedi's hair, a woman about thirty, with dark blonde hair and a fair complexion was completely unaware as he took a blood sample and waited with an air of patience bred from a long life of waiting.  
The results came back with a flash of green light from the hand-held device.  
Negative.  
He chuckled a low and hollow chuckle that wasn't remotely amusing; it sent shivers and cooled the air. Resolutely he stood, pausing only to inject a vile, straw-coloured liquid into the female Jedi. She shuddered, with one last breath, and then she was dead.  
  
"Then I will find those from the Temple."   
  
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**Author's Notes:** So uh, death count has started: 2. Let's see how far it goes lol! Slight cliffie i suppose.... Who likes The Bad Guy's name? So, I'm not sure about the angst-ness: i can write better than that, so i'm gonna try and write proper juicy stuff in future chapters.  
_/ waves /_ 'ello Telperien, you've got me on Author Alert and have this fic on your favourites list.... you like? Review? Pleeeeease? There's quite a few others as well... 

**Review Thank Yous...  
Kusco: Something different about Ashden? Everyone seems to be thinking that! Hmmm... what's so different about her? I'm really interested in that actually, since i didn't mean to make her so -she's just doing what all the others do lol! OK... so no Anakin and Obi-Wan fight -mostly because Anakin is about 14 and Obi-Wan about 29... it's be cruel!  
Badger girl: Thanks :D   
Knight Kenobi of Eryn Lasgalen: Well you can keep Qui-Gon as long as Obi-Wan can stay with me ;) I'm still not saying who it was :P  
Aida: I hope this one went okay... personally i think it wasn't very good -but i'm hoping to work in some juicy situations for the pair...  
Janna Hawkins: All of them? Whoah! I've got the first three... and there aren't any in my local library! What's she like in the rest of the books?  
Walking Through Shadows: LMAO! Exams maybe over but I've got an advert to plan for Media, Psych. research to do, a brand new sketchbook to buy and start for Art and a lanugage history for English Language :P Plus i started work again! **


	10. Of Padawans

**Authors Note:** Notes and thank yous at the end ;)  
**Disclaimer:** Read the first chappy legal peeps. Too lazy to repeat :)  
  
-----------------------------   
  
_Chapter Nine: Of Padawans_   
  
Obi-Wan corrected Ashden's stance and lowered her hands by a few centimetres. Although doing very well for a young one, she was having troubles with the ninth Kata started in the class he demonstrated in over a month ago. So he was giving her an extra session that focused on that Kata alone, in addition to her lightsaber classes with her group and other lessons with he.  
"Now move your right foot round, bring your lightsaber up and over your head and then straight down, in line with your nose,"  
With careful movements, she did as she was told with a face creased with concentration.  
Walking around her with long steps he posed a challenge,  
"Alright, can you tell me what's wrong with your stance now?"  
  
Looking down at her feet, back at her hands and then her feet again she widened her stance, "My feet were too close so I wouldn't have been well balanced."   
  
"Right, but can you do the Kata all the way through? Without me?"   
  
"I think so, Master."   
  
"You think so?"   
  
"I can, Master."   
  
Obi-Wan nodded and watched her take up the starting position once more. After his own apprenticeship to Qui-Gon was always a pit of doubt over whether or not he was good enough, whether or not he could so something and whether or not what he was doing was right, he was determined to stop that happening again; to find a happy medium of positive comments and constructive criticisms and not using a choking layer of indifference and silence.   
  
Pausing every so often to contemplate her next move, Ashden made her way through the Kata from start to finish, ending with a bow as appropriate.  
And to top it off, a smile from ear to ear.  
"I did it!"  
  
"You did it, and all it took was…?"   
  
Ashden powered down the training 'saber, put it on the closest rack and jogged back to his side. "Lots of practise."   
  
"Right, so you know that next time you needn't fret and worry all night because you're stuck, understood?" She spent most of the nights a week prior lying awake all night because she was falling behind in the class, which he realised when he checked their fledgling of a bond, expecting to find a sleeping Padawan and instead finding an upset one.   
  
"Yes Master." She said, tying her belt over the sandy tunic, "Are Master Erin and Master Reeft coming over tonight?"   
  
"They are Padawan, and Master Muln may visit too, so you will be tidying your room before they arrive and on your best behaviour while they are here, won't you?"   
  
"Yes Master."   
  
Tugging her braid as they walked he felt content. He'd seen neither hide nor hair of Qui-Gon, or his quick to anger apprentice, Anakin, since that day weeks ago. Ashden and he moved into their new rooms and were gradually settling in to a routine both were comfortable with. And to top it off, both Garren and Reeft were planet-side, as was Bant, though Garren only arrived a few hours ago and be staying for a matter of days; Reeft was hoping to stay for a week.  
Naturally they organised a get together.  
Naturally it was held in the biggest apartment: his apartment. And naturally, Ashden was like he -not prevalently tidy.  
In fact in his opinion she was worse, working from the 'every pot in the rooms' method whenever she worked on anything.  
  
Entering the turbo lift he selected their level and asked, "Do you have any work from class?"   
  
She nodded unhappily. "Yes, Master. I have a pad of mathematics questions to do, and I have a research essay to do for history of the senate class."   
  
"The senate." Obi-Wan tried hard not to let his feelings for politicians colour his thinking. Unfortunately his distaste ran deep and the words held an unpleasant taste in his mouth.  
"What on?"  
  
"A planet of our choice, but I don't know which one to pick 'cause there are so many!"   
  
"How about Jardeni?"   
  
"I already know the senate history about that, Master. It wouldn't be hard to write an essay on it."   
  
Obi-Wan smiled, "So do you want a challenge, or something that will interest you?"   
  
Ashden kept quiet, unsure of what to say, then,  
"Is interesting different to challenging?"  
  
"What is challenging is not always interesting or enjoyable to do, but one must do it to complete the challenge, do you understand, Padawan?"  
The lift came to a halt, opening its doors to let them out, he watched her turn over the words in her mind whilst he savoured saying 'Padawan', an honour he took a lot of pleasure in. The word rolled off his tongue, leaving a warm feeling all the way through him.  
  
Toying with the sleeve of her tunic she formulated the thoughts before speaking. "Fun things won't always teach me? Sometimes boring things will?"   
  
"Correct, and a good thing to remember for some of your classes in the future, most probably. If you're not going to do Jardeni, which planet will you choose?"   
  
"I don' know," she murmured, taking great interest in her boots as they walked, "I was thinking about doing Naboo."   
  
_Qui-Gon's voice became strained with each passing word, "Obi-Wan promise… promise me you'll train the boy…"  
_ "Why Naboo?" His voice came out strained as memories of _that_ planet assaulted him from every angle.  
_"It is too late… It's…"  
_   
"I read some on it a while ago, they have an interesting history,"  
  
_"He is the Chosen One… he will… bring balance… train him!"_  
"If that's what you want to do, now go shower and tidy your room before our guests arrive."  
  
Flashing him a bright smile she bounded to the 'fresher and locked the door behind her.  
Obi-Wan set about forgetting the harsher events on the beautiful planet, tidying the main room, moving pads to sensible out of the way stacks and re-arranging the few cushions and holo-captures as quickly as possible -Bant should be arriving first and was due in only two hours.  
And he hadn't even begun to cook yet.  
  
---   
Qui-Gon watched Anakin with prominent approval, evident from the smile that tugged at his lips and lit up his hooded midnight blue eyes.  
Anakin was progressing very well, very well indeed as the young teenager worked through an advanced Kata for his age group.  
A cloud was constantly overshadowing his thoughts, which otherwise would never have been the equivalent to a sunny day.  
Obi-Wan Kenobi.  
The boy, a man now, simply didn't grasp the importance of Anakin. He acted like a jealous child during their confrontation weeks ago.  
_"Did I teach you so little?"  
_   
_"You taught me to follow my instincts in the Force! When I told you the boy was dangerous you dismissed me like a child who didn't understand!"  
_   
_"If you cannot see what is right in front of you then you are a fool, Obi-Wan, and taking you as my Padawan was a mistake. The Order doesn't need fools."  
_ He replayed the same words over and over in his mind. Remembered those ever-changing eyes darken to a stormy grey before he turned and left.  
After a time to cool his temper and think, Qui-Gon wasn't proud of his last words to Obi-Wan, but neither did he regret them. Anyone who couldn't see that Anakin was the Chosen One was a fool.  
_Taking you as my Padawan was a mistake.  
_ Those were the words that made him tug at his hair, tied as it was away from his face. Those were the words he knew would hurt Obi-Wan the most.  
He never meant to say them, he didn't remember even thinking them -in his displeasure at his previous apprentice he wielded the one weapon he never meant to use.  
Obi-Wan's own insecurities.  
  
Anakin was looking at him expectantly, lightsaber deactivated at his side and blue eyes unreadable -so different to Obi-Wans, "How was that, Master?"  
  
"Excellent, you've mastered that Kata quicker than any other Jedi I ever heard of, my Padawan." He pulled gently on the boy's ponytail, directing them to the exit.  
What was done was done, he couldn't change it.  
He would focus on the present, the Living Force… Anakin.  
Anakin would be their saviour, balancing the Force and he would be his greatest legacy.  
"Do you need any help with your work from class?"  
  
Anakin gave him a small smile, an unreadable expression crossing his face, "Not much, Master."   
  
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**Author's Notes:** Hmmm.... believe, I do, that this chapter could've gone better. But this was like, the third re-write and my mind was spinning :S Hope you liked! 

**Review Thank Yous...  
Snow-Glory: Nope. Qui is evil!  
  
Janna Hawkins: Now there's an idea for another story! Arrrh! Take the plot bunny away! It's trying to eat me and i have enough already! Nooo! Hehe...sorry if i sound looopy, i'm ill Hmmm. If i manage to get enough cash left over i'm gonna see if i can order the next 4 books from amazon or something, i wanna read more Bant!  
  
Telperien: HEY! You de-lurked! Congrats _huggles_... here's the update :D  
  
Knight Kenobi of Eryn Lasgalen: Swat? More like a kick!  
  
lurker1: Hmmm i never thought of it like that! Right, i'm gonna work the harsh-ness and it's reason into the end plot so it makes sense. Hehe pooor Qui! I tried to write bonding between them but it wouldn't come out, so i tried to portray a way of thought and teaching for them instead... does that make sense?  
  
MistiWhitesun: First was the Sith apprentice from TPM, sorry my friend asked me that too lol! Nah... if the blonde was someone Obi knew you'd know. She was just like those Security Guys from the Star Trek: TOS -doomed to die ;)  
Regarding paragraphing every english teacher i have ever had always contradicts the last one... ie i used to indent them and i got told off and wasn't allowed, then i got told off for not indenting... so what I have now is a happy medium which doesn't get me yelled at. How do you do yours?  
As for spelling, i'm guessing you're talking about   
_"You taught me to follow my instincts in the Force!_  
which is weird....cause that's the right word. Is it different in the US or Canada or something? I'm confused :S  
Anyway... i'm gonna take up the suggestion of reading aloud to see if i can catch any errors :D  
  
mirax: Hiya! Something bigger than Yoda's stick? Hmmm.... maybe we'll poke him with a lightsaber? Ooooh wait... okay how about whacking him around the head with a tree! _evil grin here_ Obi will get lots of support. I think. Ummmm.  
  
Walking Through Shadows: I am writing more! See! And i have one line of the next chapter! :P   
  
Knightlight: Welcome! Yes! De-lurk :D You've taken the first step to complete de-lurking Lol yes my poor schedule.. plus i just picked up a second job, oh well! Yes Qui-Gon is very cruel, but he has his reasons.... which will be explained eventually. Honest.  
  
Aida: _phew_ i was worried you'd hate it! Next clash is scheduled in, uuuh, two chapters time. I think ;) **


	11. Of a Master's Musings II

**Authors Note:** Notes and thank yous at the end ;)  
**Disclaimer:** Read the first chappy legal peeps. Too lazy to repeat :)  
  
-----------------------------   
  
_Chapter Ten: Of a Master's Musings .II._   
  
Yoda was seated comfortably in his favourite pile of cushions in his quarters, a cup of his favourite tea steaming nearby.  
The Force was whispering in the back of his mind, had been whispering all his long life, yet now it was more insistent, surging at every other moment and urging him to look closer at a certain aspect to its messages.  
Descending further into himself, into the swirling intangible completeness of the Force, Yoda pushed away other visions, other feelings, other clues to what could what might what should happen (all shrouded in now all to common darkness) and focused on one being, one signature which radiated Light.  
Obi-Wan Kenobi.  
Even after twenty-nine years, memory of Knight Muriel Gal-Ton's last months was easily recalled…  
Not long into her Knighthood the young woman returned to the Temple, clothed in a loose-fitting tunic and leggings, cloak deceptively loose…  
_"Master Yoda, may I come in?"  
She stood outside the doorway to his rooms like a frightened toddler, eyes to the floor, downcast, and hands tucked into their sleeves around her middle. He didn't see it then, nobody did -she masked it well.  
"Enter you may, Knight Gal-Ton. Troubled, are you?"  
  
"I," she paused, "Forgive me Master, I did nothing, I just found myself with child some months ago." Pulling open her robe, she revealed a slightly larger than normal belly.  
For all his years, Yoda was shocked.  
"Saying you woke up with child, are you?"  
  
Voice low she spoke slowly, barely believing her own words, "I believe it -he, is from the Force, Master."  
  
"Mergence, in a infant?"  
She nodded, placing her hands protectively over her abdomen.  
"Test, may I?"  
Another nod, tentative, as she knelt down lower for his easy reach.  
Gently he stretched out tendrils of his senses, feeling for the life in her womb, not knowing what to expect. A being of Light, of strength, washed over him. Contentment. Purity. Power. Nothing like anything recorded previously.  
"Hmm, right that could be. Feel different, did you? Sense him?"  
  
"Not so much in the first few months, just the knowledge he was there… except I didn't know he was a he in the beginning, I just… I just knew, Master. One day I just knew he was a he and I can feel him a little more each day."   
  
"Take a Count when born, we will. Strong, he is. At the Temple you will stay, until that time."_   
  
Yoda was cautious in the early weeks of her return, in the long centuries of his life he had seen many come to him saying the Force gave them a child -the prophecy was well known throughout the galaxies, Republic or not.  
Never before had a Jedi done so.  
Never before had one done so without reference to the prophecy.  
But as the weeks grew to months, Muriel grew weaker. A side to the prediction not as widely known, or possibly just not believed: the Chosen One's mother would die on the day of the One's birth -nothing in life was free, and for the Force to give such a gift the price was high. One life would have to be taken, the mother's life.  
Yet Muriel bore her son no ill will; he was hers and she loved him because of it, not in spite of it. She followed the will of the Force to the best of her ability and without question and loved her son whilst she had the chance.  
At Muriel's request they told her Master what was kept secret from the rest of the Temple and universe as a whole, and she stayed with her during the long birth, bought the child to her after he was cleaned up a little and placed him in the younger Jedi's arms.  
_"Do you want to name him, Muriel?"  
  
Her voice was tired, little strength left after a prolonged pregnancy and hard labour,  
"Kenobi… Obi-Wan it means 'my child'…"  
  
"And Kenobi means 'of the Light', I remember, Padawan."  
  
Yoda remembered also, they were both from a planet that had since been consumed by it's own dying star -Muriel Gal-Ton was actually one of the evacuees from the dying planet, bought to the Temple when she was two years old. Small and non-Republic as it was, it's language had been forgotten and their culture dismissed as unimportant. Something the Jedi thought gravely wrong.  
"Hello Obi-Wan," Now little more than a whisper, the child knew to be still and gurgled at his mother, "my Obi-Wan Kenobi, you will be a great man, never let anyone tell you any different, my little one." Tears began to fall, all present knew her time was near, none more so than herself, painstakingly slowly at first, down her cheek and dropping like fluid diamonds. Then the babe lifted a tiny hand, trying to find something to grasp and finding the edge of a medical gown and they tumbled like rain, sobs rising from her throat that was already so weak made for a heart-rending scene for the two observers.  
Yoda checked the reading from the blood sample the Healer took before leaving.  
Well over 20,000.  
The Decemean's believed every child was a gift from the Gods… therefore lending to the second meaning of the baby's name, Muriel's gift to the Light.  
_  
Since Obi-Wan's birth Yoda knew he would have to conceal everything about the boy, invent a family and veil a midi-chlorean count that usually shouldn't exist.  
When Obi-Wan turned twelve and he was still not taken as an Apprentice, Yoda made another decision -whether or not to ensure the Chosen One's further training. To do so would reveal his history, something Yoda didn't want to happen, not then.  
He also knew Qui-Gon would have to play a part: a vision of Obi-Wan defending said Master proved that; the only problem was the stubborn man, a point that was overcome but sent repercussions that were still felt today.  
  
The Force's latest hints grew stronger the deeper he fell within it, becoming feelings and forming visions of some point in the future, of Light warring against a figure robed in black, in one visualization Obi-Wan won, and Light prevailed to see the Jedi grow strong once again and the galaxies grow peaceful under a new rule that wasn't revealed. In the other, the dark figure triumphed; the Jedi fell in massacres of every known Force-sensitive of the time and entire planets were decimated, millions enslaved and un-told numbers murdered.  
The future was reaching a splitting point, something that would decide the outcome of the battle he foresaw.  
The Force was diverging, and only it's Mergence would be able to affect it.  
Everything relied on Obi-Wan now, he realised. Yoda had no qualms about trusting the Knight, having watched him intently his entire life at the Temple and looked into each mission during his apprenticeship through to his Knighthood closely: he _was_ ready.  
The doubt he did have was whether or not Obi-Wan knew that.  
  
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**Author's Notes:** Heads up to **Shanobi** whose fic 'Going Home' planted the idea for this fic in my head absolutely yonks ago (that's how long it's been driving me insane :S) and is the first person i've seen to have Obi-Wan as the Chosen One (i'm still trying to find others _sniff_) and she's really nice :D Go read her stories if you haven't all ready!  
  
_whoah_ still can't believe i managed to write all that... it just sorta _came out_, so... i tried to make it make as much sense as possible without giving the future away ;) Please review _/ gives readers a pleading look /_. Anyway, Chapter Eleven will be called "Of Tension Building" and is a chapter that wasn't originally planned, but there's a large request for more of Anakin and Ashden so i will deliver and it'll be from their POV's :D

**Review Thank Yous...  
Walking Through Shadows: And i'm still caught between insulted and proud that you think i'm like an eight year old. I'm nearly a year older than you! I'm seventeen in a few months! that's like, eight is like, nine years younger than me and 5 years older than my mental age :P  
  
lurker1: Long reviews are great! I love long reviews -i got 2 this time / _dances_ /! Stubborn vs. Compassion... yes he is being rather stubborn at the moment, but have no fear, compassion man will appear Eventually. It's just Obi-Wan he's blind to 'cause "people are often blind to the ones they love the most" but the same goes for Obi too ;).  
Hmmm, i think i'll do that actually -give a history of the last 4 years for Ani and Qui -i never thought of doing that before! Exploit it, I will. Thank you i do and will. Looks like the story just got extended ;)  
  
MistiWhitesun: Hehee Star Trek was my first sci-fi love, i was 5 and saw TOS re-runs!  
Kay i'm gonna try and do indent paragraphs for awhile, and maybe go back and edit the rest if i have time, plus fix that spelling and any others i can find. Really should check carefully before I post, shouldn't I? Anyway, yes. Paragraphing and spelling -i caught a "lo" instead of "low" and used indents....  
  
Janna Hawkins: Kay this is actually quite cool! People LIKE Ashden! I was really afraid about how she'd be received! Hi to Lizzy because that's a cool name! :D  
  
Aida: There is a reason! Poor Qui... do i need to put him into the Character Protection Program? Naaah.... i s'pose there wouldn't be much fun in that, Be prepared for Anakin swill!  
  
Audreidi: Yikes, longer chapters? Well, this is just about 3 pages... almost. Okay so that's pathetic : I will try, metaphors similes and narratives oh my! Sorry.. it's like 3pm and i haven't eaten all day yet so light-headed i am feeling ;) Malastarian's are called Grans? Okay i wrote that down now, i'm slowly building up my knowlege of SW-verse :X. It will get better! Honest!  
  
Knight Kenobi of Eryn Lasgalen: here! _hands out an Anakin Clone_, kick away! I'm planning an AnakinAshden POV for the next chapter so you can build up some more fuel then ;)  
  
Authors Notes 2: I'm beginning to feel quite sorry for Qui-Gon... between you guys and me he's getting slapped quite a lot! **


	12. Of Tension Building

**Authors Note:** Notes and thank yous at the end ;)  
**Disclaimer:** Read the first chappy legal peeps. Too lazy to repeat :)  
  
-----------------------------   
  
_Chapter Eleven: Of Tension Building_   
  
Putting the finishing touches to the essay Ashden looked at the pad guiltily, maybe she should have done another planet? Any planet other than Naboo, really. Her Master's face blanked and closed off the second she said its name and she didn't have to be Yoda to know there was more to the battle than what was told.  
Everybody knew about the Important Padawan that was apprenticed to Master Jinn too. The Important Padawan as the one she ran in to when they left the Council Chambers, the one nobody liked, she wondered idly if the boy knew that. What was his name? Anasin Sky, Sky something? Was it Anasin? Older Padawans said he thought too highly of himself, that he could do anything without asking anyone. That just because he was Important, something to do with an ancient prophesy from thousands of years ago, he had the right to never apologise when he was in the wrong.  
If he grew up in the Creche like everybody else he would've soon learned different. Ashden couldn't count the times she apologised even if she took her boots and socks off and used both of her hands too. Everybody was equal, it was drilled into them, a servant in a palace was just as important as the Supreme Chancellor of the Republic Senate.   
  
Everybody also knew about the Sith her Master and Master Jinn fought, and how the Battle ended.  
Except Master Yoda told me that some battles weren't fought 'sabers and that's when people got hurt the most. Ashden kicked her feet and smiled to herself; he said it all mixed up and backwards like he always did.  
Who was her Master fighting that made him go like that? He was the strongest and best Knight in the whole Order! He still was! He could always make Master Erin laugh, and anybody else. Why would anyone want to make him go like that? It was definitely a puzzle, like the ones from the Crèche; only she didn't have all the pieces.  
Maybe Uli or Amati would know? They were eleven and knew lots, but she and Thew were better at the puzzles than they were. Ashden toyed with the end of her braid, trying to find a solution to a problem she didn't understand. Maths was a lot simpler than this; maths could only have set answers, the variables always falling within set parameters.  
"People're more complicated." She murmured, flicking through the data on her pad. Supreme Chancellor Palpatine was elected after Queen Amidala voiced a Vote of Non Confidence in Supreme Chancellor Valorem four years ago, he used to be Naboo's Ambassador to the Senate. Before becoming Ambassador for the planet he was relatively unknown, despite having run for the position five times previously.  
Queen Amidala is currently in her last year of term. She is greatly liked by the people of Naboo, many of who signed a petition for her to stay a second term as Queen -which she politely turned down in order to follow the rules that every monarch previously had to follow: one term and one term only.  
  
Her Master didn't like politicians, though he seemed tolerant when he spoke of Queen Amidala -something Ashden assigned to the Queen's ability to handle the siege of her planet and only want to free her people.  
He hated the Supreme Chancellor, or as close to hate as a Jedi could feel. She asked him once, after he returned from another errand for the Senate, and he told her,  
_"Sometimes a person will rub you the wrong way, but as a Jedi there's nothing you can do about it. Especially when that person controls the Senate."_  
Then he told her not to worry about it and to finish her science homework; nonetheless during meditation that night she felt him, frustrated and searching.  
He as always searching, however she dared not ask what for since it technically wasn't her place. Maybe he was trying to find out why the person that made him feel like he did sometimes, did it? It would make sense, she thought, but not completely. There was no question to it; she would have to begin her own mission. Her first mission.  
Nevertheless she'd have to be careful, this mission was Top Secret and going to be very difficult with the Masters as on edge as they were. None of them said anything, her Master didn't, her teachers didn't, and her friends who had Masters said they hadn't either. The lack of reason set them all on edge: Jedi Masters were always in control of everything, nothing was ever so out of hand as whatever set them so on guard now.  
That would be her secondary objective then. First, find out whom her Master was fighting; second, find out what made all the Masters so… itchy.  
Mind set, she left the finished essay on her desk and left her room. She still had an hour before meditation; maybe her Master would let her find Uli now, then she could get started. Common sense told her it was something to do with Master Jinn, and to find out about him without her Master finding out she would have to be careful.  
  
Ashden stood in the doorway to her room watching her Master type away a datapad of his own,  
"Master?"  
  
"Yes?" he said, without looking up.  
  
"Can I go find my friends? I promise I'll be back in time for meditation."  
  
This time he paused, giving her a scrutinising glance, "Promise? Straight there, straight back?"   
  
"Yessum."   
  
"Then I'll see you in an hour, Padawan."  
Ashden smiled, ran back to her bedroom to grab her cloak and to the door, quickly bowing before leaving.  
That was a new aspect that was never present in the Temple before as well, she thought as she passed a Knight just standing in a small recess. There never used to be Knights just standing as if they were on guard for something.  
Or searching for something. Just like her Master.  
Were they connected? Another piece to add to the jumble that was collecting in the box she made for it in her mind.  
The trip down to the Initiate Dormitory rooms was a dull, one she'd memorized since she became a Padawan, with most other Jedi wherever they were going to be for the rest of the night now that lessons and the evening meal were, for the majority, over.  
"Uli? Uli it's me! Open the door!" As an eleven year old, Uli was allowed his own room and was her first port of call before going to Sa-Bay and Thew to take to Amati's, also eleven.  
  
"Ashden? What are you doing here?" Uli pulled her inside with a webbed hand.   
  
Sticking out her tongue before responding, Ashden knelt down by his desk and dug around for his boots, "I need to talk to you and everyone. I'm confused."   
  
"About what, Ash? We haven't got much time before curfew, you know."   
  
"I know, which is why we gotta go! C'mon!" She pulled him along, still hopping into his right boot, down the corridor to where Sa-Bay and Thew shared a dormitory with two others. Within minutes they were collected on Amati's bed, looking at her expectantly. Second thoughts were chased by third and fourth. Maybe this was none of her business?  
Too late now.  
"Um, I need some help."  
  
"With what?" Amati pulled on her ears, flicking them over her shoulders.   
  
"A puzzle."  
Thew's eyes lit up -he remembered their talent with puzzles too.  
"Where're the pieces then?" he asked.  
  
"Uh," Ashden fiddled with her braid, "It's a head puzzle. I haven't got all the pieces yet, that's a bit of the problem."   
  
"Aaand?" Sa-Bay had raised his eyebrows, his sign of extreme scepticism at what was being told.   
  
"My Master's fighting somebody but not with 'sabers and I don't know why or how and I don't know how to fix it."   
  
"Fix it?" Sa-Bay again.   
  
"I think it's hurting him, he's my Master -I can't let that happen!"  
Ashden gave him a pleading look, begging him to understand that. He lowered the eyebrows and she relaxed. He was the one obstacle to convince, and she managed it. He understood.  
  
"Okay, so what do we do?"   
  
"Your favourite, Uli. Research. I think it's got something to do with my Masters Master,"   
  
He gave her a small glare, "Who would be..."   
  
Evenly, she said, "Master Jinn."   
  
"You want us to research the Master Jinn because you think he's hurting your Master?" Amati's voice betrayed that she couldn't believe what she was being told. Granted, Master Jinn was well known, revered in some cases, but he was still like every other Master or Knight.  
"It's not like I want you to draw a 'saber on him! I just need some help, that's all."  
  
"But it's Master Jinn, Ashden, you can't just accuse him of intentionally causing harm to another Jedi!"   
  
"I never said he was doing it intensia-"   
  
"Intentionally." Uli put in.   
  
"Right, I never said he was doing that," Ashden's mind was beginning to spin; Amati was getting the wrong end of the idea and must've been hitting her on the head with it. "I don't even know it is Master Jinn. I just think it is because of a few things, that's why I need you guys to help me!"   
  
Uli held up a hand, cutting off Amati before she could reply, "Be quiet a minute, Ashden what would you want us to do exactly?"   
  
"A bit of research, what he's like and things like that. If you ever see him or anything tell me how he is and stuff, nothing big, I just need a few more pairs of eyes is all."  
Thew shared a look with Sa-Bay and they nodded. Once Sa-Bay got over his scepticism he was as game for everything as Thew was, Uli wasn't far behind.  
Amati took longer to decide, playing around with the hem of her green tunic for a good few minutes (minutes that lasted a very long time from Ashden's point of view), mulling things over in her mind.  
"Alright. But I won't get in trouble with our Care Master, or especially Master Jinn, deal?"  
  
Ashden grinned, "Deal."   
  
-----   
  
Anakin was not pleased. Even with Watto he was allowed a certain amount of freedom; he could walk up and down the shop or clean things pacing up and down the yard if he wanted to, at home he could do whatever he wanted, as long as his mother didn't find out when (because he inevitably did) he got in trouble.  
At the Temple he got none. He was a slave to the Force and the High Council. He hated being a slave. He was a person. He should be out helping people and getting money to go back and free his mother like he promised! He wanted to go back to Naboo and see Padmé. Thoughts of her were always there in the back of his mind, where he kept all the feelings he knew he wasn't supposed to have, let alone entertain with the thoughts of power that Palpatine told him would one day be his.  
That was destined to be his… he was the Chosen One after all. He was more powerful than all the other Jedi ever seen.  
Right now, Anakin guessed he was about as great as his Master, so by the time he became a senior Padawan he'd be more powerful than even the famed Master Yoda. What did it matter if he felt emotions, rather than ignored them and became a walking dead man? Emotions made him alive. They made him better than all the other Jedi because they didn't feel. He did. They just called Master Qui-Gon and he into their mightier than thou Council Chambers to reprimand him on record, to pull him down to their level and check up on him. He still remembered the first time it happened, barely three months after they returned to Corusant, like it was yesterday.  
  
_ The Council looked all the way through him, or at least they thought they did in their almighty, infinite wisdom.  
Mace Windu spoke first, "You know why you are here."  
  
"Masters I must protest -"   
  
"After we have spoken, protest you may."   
  
Anakin waited, keeping his impatience restrained by the memory of the other Padawan's face. Silence began to stretch. They were trying to stare him out; it wouldn't work on him. He learnt when to turn away and when not to Tantooine as a way of survival.   
  
"You lost control again, Padawan Skywalker." Master Koth said.   
  
"Yes, Master Koth."   
  
"Do you know why?"   
  
"I was provoked."   
  
"To the extent that you felt the need to cause bodily harm to another Jedi?"   
  
"He deserved it! He called me a pathetic slave!"   
  
"And he will be dealt with accordingly." Master Poof said, "A Jedi must not anger."   
  
"Peace over anger, you must gain."   
  
Qui-Gon stood taller, "Masters, Anakin has only been training for a few months, give him time."   
  
"When will you deem that he will have had enough time? He is old, he must work harder -you knew this when you took him as your Padawan Learner." _   
  
That was the first of quite a few visits, until finally he began storing all the anger and fear instead of dealing with them and letting it go on whoever deserved it the most. When he pushed all thoughts of Padmé and his mother to the back and hid them under lock and key, where he could take them out and think about them under shielding that was now second nature. After awhile the Council finally realised that he was improving and let them leave on missions, Chancellor Palpatine was glad then, that they finally realised his potential and surprised it took them so long. He said it was a sorry display of Jedi foresight.  
Qui-Gon, without knowing it, agreed with the Supreme Chancellor.  
_  
"They still simply refuse to see the truth of the Prophecy."   
  
"But they must've seen it now, they're letting us go on missions now, Master."   
  
Qui-Gon shook his head, hand on his bearded chin, "I wish, Padawan. They just can't deny the progress you've made any longer." _  
  
Anakin remembered that day clearly too, he sounded bitter then. Bitter at the Council. But he soon moved to another tack (one that probably infuriated the Council, Anakin thought smugly), Qui-Gon vowed to him that he would be not only the most powerful, but also the best Knight in the Order; he was already several years above the rest of his age-mates in Kata's, he was excellent at sparring even though he still lost to Qui-Gon they called truce's more often than never now, he could even levitate a few objects by manipulating the Force.  
For a fourteen year old, that was pretty good.  
His few friends, he didn't have many since they were away so often, said that all the other children called him the Important Padawan.  
That made him swell with pride.  
They didn't think of him as some pathetic slave. If he was Important he couldn't be walked over.  
If he were Important, his mother would have a reason to be proud of him when he went to free her.  
  
Qui-Gon's voice sounded through their apartment, bringing Anakin back to the present… and the homework he still hadn't finished. Quick as a Hutt collecting money, he cleared the problems and bought up a file to pass as research. "Anakin?"  
  
"Yes Master?" Swinging his feet off the sleep couch he whisked open the door to his room with a quick push of the Force to see his Master putting on his cloak.   
  
"I have to meet with some other Masters, don't leave these rooms, alright?"  
Nodding blandly, Anakin reserved his scowl for after the elder Jedi left.  
That was another thing, it seemed like every week Qui-Gon was meeting with other Masters, and everyday he was never alone, even when he was practising a Kata before breakfast a Master was in the training halls or when he snuck out to speak with Palpatine there were always at least three Jedi on the main entrance.  
Thankfully, the second time Anakin saw them he reported as much to Palpatine, and he taught him how to hide his signature from other Jedi so that it was as if he was invisible.  
A pretty wizard trick, in Anakin's opinion.  
  
With nothing left to do and leaving out of the question he settled down to meditate. Maybe when his Master returned to see him doing extra meditation without being asked or punished he would be rewarded?  
"Worth a try." He muttered, relaxing into the oh-so-familiar stance.  
Thoughts of Padm's beautiful face filled his vision, golden brown hair framing an angelic face.  
Every once in a while Qui-Gon told him to stop worrying, but not very often. Qui-Gon said it was Anakin's connection to the Living Force which made him anxious since after nine years of seeing her every day he had now been separated from her for four years over a great distance -it's hard to connect with light years apart and strict orders to not contact her.  
Anger boiled at those orders and he fed it into the compartment specially made for all the things he didn't want his Master to see, the feelings that he was told off for showing. The dark fog inside it was perfect for concealing everything; fear, hate, anger, and Anakin revelled in it. When he hid like Chancellor Palpatine taught him he didn't have to constantly check his thoughts and emotions to make sure none escaped down the thread-like training bond -one he kept purposefully thin.  
In the apartment, a feral smirk filled the teenagers features.  
Inside the fog the darkness that made it whispered promises and comforts of power and making all the people that ever tried to walk over him pay.  
And he liked it. Fantasies of it played through him, dancing pirouettes of a commanding presence, twirling anger intertwined with hate and laced with fear that would one day be soothed with a balm made of a vision of everybody who ever talked down to him, treated him like scum because he used to be a slave, tried to make him feel stupid, pushed him down onto the sandy streets outside Watto's shop so the sand scraped along it and bit into it.  
  
Some time later, he didn't know when precisely, Anakin relinquished the fog, pushing it back inside the box and swinging down the hinges, feeling a twinge of apprehension when it took longer than normal to shut them all the way.  
Now curiosity piqued -their message terminal blinked at him, showing four read messages, delete?  
Qui-Gon forgot to close the screen, and now they teased him because as long as he just read them, didn't reply or delete them, his Master would never know.  
If he would never find out, there was zero risk.  
If there was zero risk, why not do it?  
So he did it, springing up, ignoring the beginning of pins and needles that threatened in his legs, and opened the first message.  
_Master Jinn,  
You presence is required at a meeting at the nineteenth hour in training hall 2 to discuss the continuing disappearance of Jedi. We fear that whoever is taking our own is making its way to Corusant, and must prepare as such.  
Please ensure your Padawan doesn't come with you to the meeting.  
-Jedi Master Windu_  
  
Anakin blinked slowly. Jedi were going missing? A secret meeting of Masters? This was like a holovid!  
  
---------------------------------------  
  
**Author's Notes: _phew_ That was a long chapter! I hope you liked it :) Reviews welcome... lurkers, well, you carry on lurking if you have too LOL! Heheee. This chapter started off as about a page and a half... it got longer and longer as I re-read the reviews and some of the ideas and requests you guys had :D I seem to have lost some reviewers though :( But i gained some too :D**

**Review Thank Yous...  
Ciara: Heya! Welcome onboard, Qui-Gon clones are to your left, Anakin clones up the stairs and Obi-Wan clones on your right. Other clones avaliable on request ;) Umm, in response to your question regarding bonds, we'll see :) The bond between Obi and Ashden will play a part soon, so maybe you'll see :D  
  
lurker1: Anakin's reason for existence will come in time, I hope. It's hard.... I just realised by making Obi the Chosen One, Anakin had to have a whole other reason for being alive, lol. Yes I'm a bit slow ;) Next chapter will be from either Qui-Gons or Obi-Wan's POV, probably a mix of both actually.  
  
Audreidi: LOL I wasn't sure about the 'birth' scene having never been through it. I asked my mum and she said it (paraphasing) wasn't fun ;) So i skipped most of it. This longer chapter is dedicated to you :D Five pages, I think!  
  
Aida: Aww don't be do harsh on poor Qui-Gon, Yoda worked really hard to hide it!  
  
Walking Through Shadows: Keeping count you've called me a child, and eight year old and now a three year old.... decide will ya? :P  
  
mirax: LOL always the way isn't it. Sorry about the delay in this posting...it just jept getting longer and longer!  
  
Snow-Glory: Haven't thought about Qui finding out yet, because for him to find out Yoda would have to tell him since Obi doesn't know yet... and Yoda kept it secret for 29 years ;) Ah, forget we mustn't that Ashden is also a Jedi 8 year old girl   
  
Janna Hawkins: Hmm, what does your meditation tell you? ;)  
  
Authors Notes 2: People with me on Author Alert because of this story, I'm gonna be starting a HP story soon, so like just recently when you got loads for the one i just finished, you may get one or two for the new HP one two ;)   
Sorry... can't resist it _/ pokes the lurkers /_ **


	13. Of Missing Apprentices

**Authors Note:** Notes and thank yous at the end ;)  
**Disclaimer:** Read the first chappy legal peeps. Too lazy to repeat :)  
  
-----------------------------   
  
_Chapter Twelve: Of Missing Apprentices_   
  
Qui-Gon compared the files on the missing Jedi with trepidation: each gone missing within the last year with decreasing time difference in-between each abduction, all with absolutely nothing in common, the latest were a Master who specialised in trade disputes, a Knight on a Top Secret mission, another Knight returning from a mission in the Middle Rim, a senior Padawan right from under his Master's nose -he went in the refresher and never came out. He was just gone.  
Might it be murder?  
A systematic killing of as many Jedi as possible.  
Genocide? A massacre?  
Rumour was that it went back further than a year, to before even the Battle of Naboo, only in the last twelve or so months the disappearances increased to a disturbing number.  
One that couldn't be dispelled as Jedi lost on missions, or to "have left the path" of the Force.  
Did dying count as leaving the path?  
Accept, technically, to the Jedi there was no death, only the Force.  
Debating philosophy with yourself, Jinn? That's the first sign of thinking too much.  
The second sign knew that it was indeed a sign of thinking too much.  
So what sign was he at?  
"Sparring. I need to spar."  
Anakin was going to be in various classes for the next few hours, leaving Qui-Gon with a period to relax and think over the unsolved cases.  
Hence his present state; he wasn't a thinker, he was a doer. He never sat in the sidelines to watch a situation unfold; however the Council was being cryptically firm about everything now.  
Every Knight currently planet-side took a shift in patrolling key corridors, hallways and entrances at least twice a week and was required to attend every meeting. Every Master of a senior Padawan did also, those with Padawan's over the age of thirteen attended the meetings. Care and Crèche Masters and any with Padawan's under the age of thirteen didn't do the shifts or attend the meetings that were being called more and more often, instead they got messages and summaries.  
Taking up a familiar stance, Qui-Gon went from beginning to end of each movement with practised precision. Thoughts came clearer as he progressed through each Kata; trepidation began to fade away, released into the Force with a slash of his lightsaber.  
A familiar Master ran up to him, known through a classmate of Anakin's,  
"Qui-Gon, have you seen Saul?"  
  
Qui-Gon halted, switching off his 'saber, "Shouldn't he be in class?"  
  
"He never turned up."  
Rightful worry filled the other Master's eyes, an aspect that Qui-Gon's soon echoed. Padawan's skipped class, they slept in, they were ill -they never just 'didn't turn up'. A Master always knew where their Padawan was, even if the youngster didn't know that.   
  
Four hours later search parties were organised, only they were not trying to find just Padawan Saul Yiiy any more; Padawan Yana, twenty, seventeen year old Padawan Larai Nal-Exan and Knight Cad-I-Lin were also declared missing.  
All Jedi were on high alert, Initiates were being kept in groups of five, Padawans were kept in their rooms or with Initiates, Corusant Security was alerted, profiles of the missing sent out, ships prepping to leave were searched by a member of the Jedi and a Security Force and the search parties began to sweep first the Temple, and then outwards in a circle -every level, every building, every basement, every nook and every cranny. The Jedi took care of their own just as fiercely as they protected all others.  
Maybe even more so.  
  
"Ashden I want you to stay here, don't leave for anything unless I call you."  
Obi-Wan didn't know how to impress the importance of that fact anymore without openly telling the child that something, or someone, was kidnapping Jedi for purposes unknown.  
And he really didn't want to send her into a terrified state, their bond had grown considerably as the threats increased and through it he felt her trying to push away the fear that gnawed at her. It was gnawing slowly at everybody who was Force-Sensitive.  
Whenever he searched for the familiar, ancient, anger, he got a little closer. He visualised the dense fog, a murky black, creeping over Corusant with fingers extending everywhere, vines spun off outwards into the far reaches of space and light was being forced away.  
"Literally _do not leave these rooms_, understood?"  
  
"Yes, Master."   
  
"Master Erin will be here as soon as she can, and you can use the comm unit whenever you want until then."   
  
"Yes, Master." Obi-Wan checked his lightsaber was clipped in its usual place and shrugged into his cloak, sinking into the comforting folds and pulled on her braid.   
  
"You won't even notice I'm gone, and yes," he decided to answer the question he knew was coming, "when you're older you'll be able to come too."   
  
"How much older?" She asked hopefully.   
  
"Thirteen." He watched her face fall at the prospect of five more years ahead of her, "I'll be right back, Ashden."   
  
The door closed behind him with a definitive click, leaving Ashden to sink onto the couch. She had a bad feeling about this.   
  
---   
  
The four Jedi stood silently; orders clear in their turbulently calm minds as the hover car zoomed through the packed traffic lanes.  
Obi-Wan couldn't believe his luck, or rather his lack of it. His search party comprised of Mace, himself and the two Jedi he least wanted to work with: Qui-Gon and Anakin.  
"You each know what to do?" As the senior Master present, Mace Windu was in charge and subsequently handling the situation in the strictest sense. They all knew that nothing could go wrong; if something went wrong the cost was likely to be counted in lives.  
"Yes." They answered in unison.  
"Regroup in an two hours. Don't be late." The hover car halted at their building to let them off, pausing only long enough for Anakin to step off before carrying on to the next. Nearly every Jedi had been deployed on Yoda's urgent request -every craft the Jedi had was out and packed to and beyond normal maximum capacity.  
"Obi-Wan take the bottom five levels, Qui-Gon and Anakin, you take the levels between six and thirteen, and I'll take fourteen to nineteen. Another team is taking the upper levels."  
  
Obi-Wan watched the others walk away swiftly before turning to the area he had to search. Logic dictated he went to the lowest level first and worked back up… logic, however, was not going along with what teased at the edge of his awareness; a thin vine of darkness, prodding at his shielding, looking for a way in.  
"You won't find it there," he said, watching it as if it were a real vine of plant life in his minds eye, "But I'll find you."  
  
-------   
  
When Master Erin didn't arrive after ten minutes Ashden ran to the comm. unit to open a link to Uli's room, where hopefully everyone would be.  
"Uli you there?" A few seconds passed as she stared at the blank screen, kneeling on the chair and biting her lip. A habit her Master was trying to get her to break, consciously she stopped it. "Uli?"  
  
"Ash! Where're you?" Uli's dark blonde haired head appeared on the screen, backed by the familiar faces of her friends. Ashden felt the fear she knew she shouldn't technically be feeling welling up and tears began to sting her eyes. She wanted to be with them, not alone.  
"I'm in our rooms an' I'm not allowed to leave an' my Master left an' Master Erin hasn't come yet an' something bad is goin'ta happen an' I don' know what to do Uli!"   
  
"Ash calm down, the Master's have got whatever is happening under control, and Master Erin probably just got held up at the Healers, she'll be there in no time."  
  
Thew poked his head under Uli's shoulder, using the raised bumps down the middle of his forehead and his nose to encourage the older Initiate to move, "Yeah come on Ashden! Nothing bad will happen with so many Jedi out there. That's what we do, remember? We stop the bad stuff."  
  
"But this is extra bad stuff! Really really really really bad!" Without realising it, she started to chew her lip again.  
  
Amati, ever the voice of reason, spoke up this time, "How do you know that? You're over reacting, Ash."  
  
"But it's really really bad!" Why didn't they understand? She couldn't explain it but it was really bad! Her eyes began to sting more and her centre was someplace where she couldn't find it.   
  
Ashden watched Uli and Thew make Amati be quiet by wrestling her to the floor, so Sa-Bay sat at the screen instead and smiled. "Ash you're just upset because you're on your own, and Master Erin will be there soon, you don't need to worry. Focus on something else, okay?" She nodded, pulling on her sleeves. "Like our mission. Master Jinn was your Master's Master and before that he was someone called Xanatos' Master.  
Plus I found out that Master Kenobi left the Order for a year when he was fourteen,"  
  
Ashden nodded again, he'd told her about that, "On Melia/Dann, he stayed to help the Young fight the Old and when he came back he was put on probation because he took sides. Jedi aren't s'posed to do that."  
  
"Right. But Uli and me did some digging and there's a rumour that Master Jinn wasn't sure whether he wanted to take your Master back, so maybe that's another piece for the puzzle."  
Noting that in her growing list, Ashden felt the heavy pressure that had been on her chest lift a little.   
"He never told me that so it's probably important -"  
The door chime rang, cutting her off. Master Erin was here.  
"Thanks Sa, I'll see you later? Master Erin's here so I got to go."  
A chorus of 'byes' later she switched off the unit and sprang to the door.  
  
Bowing as proper she greeted her Master's friend. "Good evening, Master Erin."   
  
"Hello Ashden," the Healer smiled a smile that reached her large eyes, "has your dear old Master left you with nothing to do?"   
  
"Sort of, he said I could use the comm. unit."  
This apparently mortified Bant and she made them tea in no short order, quickly deciding on something for them to do.  
  
"I don't know about you," she confided, "but I never enjoyed having nothing to do when I was your age."   
  
------   
  
Obi-Wan crept through the shadows of the dank lower levels following the invisible darkness that only he seemed to be able to see. The vine he was tracing steadily grew thicker as did the apprehension he was finding harder to dispel.  
If he called for aid then the rest of the building would take longer to search. He knew the lead he had might not be the one that was connected to the missing Jedi, even though on a level he was finding to be very reliable of late, he knew it was. It was the same way he knew how to defeat the Sith four years ago and the one he used to heal Qui-Gon afterwards.  
"Now what's through there?"  
The vine, which was now more like the trunk of a giant tree led through a heavyset fire door and screamed danger and darkness. But if the missing Jedi were behind that door he didn't have a choice.  
With a pull on the handle, assisted by a strong Force manipulation when the door turned out to be extremely heavy. A silver ball was revealed beyond, glinting in pale light.  
Obi-Wan spun on his heel to run but the device was much faster, its countdown begun when the doors handle moved. A flash of light spread out, an intense pressure pushing him and forcing him into the opposite wall, pain engulfed his mind before it registered in his body and he felt empty before he felt no more.  
Obi-Wan Kenobi slid unconscious to the floor, isolated from the rest of his search party and cut off from the Force.  
  
---------------------------------------  
  
**Author's Notes: OMG! I am SO SORRY for the slow update! I had really bad writers block with this chapter despite the plan i had written down! And i have a job at Safeways now, and i said i didn't mind where i worked, so i'm now in "Processed Meats" and it's horrible! I hate it! At the end of the night i have to put away the raw meat and it makes me feel sick :( Plus i don't have the courage to ask if i can be moved :( What a wimp .  
So yes. Big sorry! And HUUUUUUUUUUGE thank you! A MEGA thank you, if you will! :D :D I got 15 reviews!**

**Review Thank Yous...  
Juicy Jedi: Heya! New reader _/grins/_ that was the way I wanted Anakin to be presented so I feel quite proud of myself now ;) I'm not revealing anything about the part he plays though.... muah ha haa  
  
MistiWhitesun: Naw I find it funny! I love humour :D It rocks! Yeah poor Ani, but it's a thing a lot of kids do, especially if they find it hard to make friends i've found (never thought being at school would be helpful lol!) so the silly child will sadly have a hard smack down to earth at some point lol   
Ooo I LOVED DS9! Well, that's a lie. I loved it until they got hung up on The War and all that, for me that ruined it because i was about 8 and not interested in War and Death heheee. Aww Voyager rocks! It had the good, the bad, the gorgeous, the aspect of being different to the rest, IMO anyway.... yeah. I'm a Voyager Fan lol. My fave character was probably Tom Paris because of the potential for angst lol. Did you have any faves?  
LOL how were these indentations? I learnt to read with and without so i never know if they're okay or not...  
  
Lena Breeze: How was that? }:)  
  
CelticPhantom: Very happy you found it again! Aww Qui's not evil, he's just being rather parent-ish... he'll get over it soon. Not saying nadda about Anakin :P  
  
Hebe: Well thank you :D Continued, it is :D  
  
Audreidi: It was indeed! Aww I SHOULD have! You asked for longer chapters and I delivered so it was only fair you got the recognition :D  
The focus won't be on their mission so much, especially since it wasn't in my original plan (ooops) so it's being worked into the other plots... blunder there might very well be. They're kids after all! Mistakes, they make lots of, almost as bad as the adults, they are!  
Yeah poooor Ani... he'll come round or get smacked to the ground by reality lol. He's a kid too after all :D  
  
Janna Hawkins: Well it wasn't very soon... but it's an update :D  
  
Snow-Glory: Yes! Write a sequel! Even if it's short! lol i can only seem to write long stories if i have a plan....  
Hmmm... should Ashden find out? Good question... maybe she will. Maybe she won't. Obi doesn't even know yet lol, but yeah, not only are girls supposed to be more intuitive, kids are supposed to notice more than adults... so who knows.  
  
Aida: :D Contrast is what i wanted, so that you liked it is even better! :D :D   
  
shadowjedi1: Another new reader! Hi! I made you think... i feel quite proud of that. If i can make my readers think then the grin on my face will stay quite awhile, maybe into my shift in the NEXT sale tomorrow lol!  
Oooo i definately like the idea of the ancient 'saber form... can i use it? If i do i'll give you the credit for the idea obviously :D The shield thing is kinda sneaked in already but nobody noticed so sssssh ;)  
  
Knight Kenobi of Eryn Lasgalen: Hay George Lucas himself missed it! Don't call youself dumb lol!  
  
lurker1: How can I make Ashden more actual-person like? I always find it hard to do that with any characters, especially they're original ones :S Any tips/pointers? _/ looks hopeful /_  
Heeheee her friends are her friends, unfortunately for Ashden she's still one of the youngest so they'd probably sit on her or something   
  
Kusco: Ooo thank you times two! What's an Obi-Wan Bizarro? :S Heeheee everybody wants to know about Anakin! Poor kiddo! I'm gonna lock away that answer in my secret place... ie i'm gonna stash my notepad under my sketchbook incase Walking Through Shadows comes over lol.  
  
Walking Through Shadows: There you go! Obi! Hay did you ring me earlier on Thursday? I was at work :S  
  
Authors Notes 2: It took me half an hour to answer all those :D Please review :D It'll make me happy! Pleeease? Come on... feel sorry for the girl who has to work with meat :S I wanna work on the tills like a normal kid! **


	14. Of Robed Figures

**Authors Note:** Notes and thank yous at the end ;)  
**Disclaimer:** Read the first chappy legal peeps. Too lazy to repeat :)  
  
-----------------------------   
  
_Chapter Twelve: Of Robed Figures_   
  
A clatter in the main room bought Bant rushing in from the kitchen.  
"Ashden? Ashden are you alright?" Expecting to find her sitting on the sofa it alarmed the young Healer to find her on collapsed on said sofa and a small pile of datapads fallen on the floor. "Ashden?"  
Bant checked her pulse and frowned. It was perfectly fine, a little elevated but that could easily be accounted for due to the high stress that saturated the entire Temple at the moment. There weren't any wounds, no burns to suggest an electric shock.  
She was out for the count with no detectable reason why.  
  
---   
  
Mace Windu was not pleased. Obi-Wan was over fifteen minutes late, and Obi-Wan was never late. Opening a secure link to the Temple the head of the search was quick to respond.  
"Jedi Temple."  
  
Mace kept his message short and to the point. Elaborate explanations wasted time that could cost lives.  
"Master Rancisis, Obi-Wan is missing."  
A new plan was organised in short order, with another team being dispatched to the next quadrant instead of Mace's team. Mace, Qui-Gon and Anakin would search for Obi-Wan instead, there was still a very high probability that he was still in the building somewhere.  
  
"Stay within sight range, no exceptions." He ordered, voice unrelenting. Qui-Gon and Anakin nodded, and, with no further words exchanged the group moved on, their new mission in mind.  
  
Qui-Gon stretched out with every sense available to him as far as they would go, looking for any hint of his former Padawan. When Mace announced him missing just minutes ago, he found his heart skipping an unexpected beat. Obi-Wan was stubborn, yes; he refused to see Anakin for what he was, yes; he was so busy searching the future he forgot the Living Force to an infuriating degree, yes; but in clearer moments like this, when Qui-Gon focused on a mission and only the mission he knew that the boy had achieved much, been through even more, and he, Qui-Gon, experienced Jedi Master, was probably just as infuriating.  
These moments, however, were becoming more and more sparse in their occurrences.  
"Master, why don't we try in here?" Anakin asked, halfway through the doorway of a particularly dismal looking, run-down room without even a window. Qui-Gon spared Mace, who was barely ten feet away and probing a control panel that looked like the last time it worked Yoda was an infant. About to agree with his Padawan's suggestion a pull through the Force caught his attention.  
"Actually, why don't we try down here?" He watched Anakin swallow a frown with a smile and follow him obediently. The 'pull' as it where was actually more of a push, away from where he was now heading and echoed of Obi-Wan's Force signature. At some point Obi-Wan must have really not wanted any Jedi to come this way.  
Naturally that was the way they were going. "Mace? I think there's something down here."  
He didn't wait for a reply, hastening down their first, and so far only, lead.  
  
---   
  
Decidedly today was not a good day. It was not even an _okay_ day. It was undoubtedly a very _bad_ day. He couldn't even release his pessimistic feelings into the Force because of the _Sithly_ collar clamped around his neck.  
Obi-Wan Kenobi was in a very bad mood.  
On the upside to this landslide of a bad day the missing Jedi were locked in cells about and opposite him, and were all alive and none the worse for wear, save for tiny scratches on their arms identical to his.  
Scratches like the ones left behind after a blood sample was taken. His mind re-ran constantly over that one, why kidnap Jedi and take blood? If that was the only reason why had none of the ones missing turned up?  
"Has he said anything to you? Anything at all to indicate what he wants?" Despite having asked similar questions before, ones that assured Obi-Wan their captor was definitely a 'he', it never hurt to ask again. The Knight and three Padawans stayed silent, considering their times held captive.  
  
Padawan Yana shook her head, "Nothing. He only came in here to deposit Saul, Larai, Cad-I-Lin and you off."  
  
Obi-Wan nodded, fixing that into his memory along with the gathering bits and pieces of information that were beginning to pile up somewhere in the back of his mind. Yana had been here the longest, having been announced as missing about an hour before Saul Yiiy. It made sense that she answered. But the behaviour of the man didn't.  
  
"Why isn't he gloating?" Cadi, it seemed, was just as perplexed as he. Any assassin, any bounty hunter, any kidnapper, any dark being who tried to capture anybody but especially a Jedi, always rationalised or gloated or boasted over the cleverness of they.  
The fact that this man had done so such thing unsettled them all, Obi-Wan didn't need the Force to tell him that, it was evident in the way the Padawan's stood, the way Nal-Exan kept rubbing her fingers under the sleeves of her robe, the manner in which Cadi's eyes shifted, black irises twitching left and right periodically.  
  
"I don't know Cadi," he left off the last part of his sentence, that it can't be good. A hidden door to their right opened with ease, alerting Obi-Wan to an important fact. He wasn't in the same run-down lower levels he had been earlier. Down there everything was rusted, broken or without power. Leading him to a conclusion he wasn't sure he wanted to reach, especially when the man that stepped through the revealed doorway radiated an unnerving familiarity.  
  
"Good evening, Jedi, feeling well are we?" His gravel slick voice didn't sit well with Obi-Wan, but years of practice let him slip on the impassive face that was now reflected by his four comrades.  
None of them replied.  
The man carried on regardless of their refusal to dignify him with a return greeting.  
The being, the man, wore the hooded robe that shadowed his face from his nightmares. The unseen face turned to face him, hands concealed in the voluminous sleeves.  
"Tell me, Obi-Wan, are you afraid?"  
  
"There is no emotion, there is peace."  
  
"That is an outdated lie, Jedi. You live lives of lies based on ancient myths and fairytales. Isn't it about time you pulled your heads out the sand and faced the modern world?"  
Obi-Wan didn't reply and the man didn't seem to care. He paused briefly, and then continued never looking away from the young Knight.  
"Do you fear the Sith? Darkness?"  
  
"There is no emotion, there is peace." He repeated.  
  
"Then why do you break into a cold sweat at the thought of darkness overtaking the light? Of lives being consumed by anger? You must know that darkness will always kill the light, otherwise you would not do this."  
  
A warning bell was screaming in his mind. Those were the things of his nightmares; of innocents slowly being destroyed by anger and fear… how did this man know that? Now, however, was no time to show weakness.  
Voice confident and firm, Obi-Wan made sure his features stayed schooled in a neutral expression.  
"The light will always prevail. Why don't you tell me something now, why have you kidnapped these people?"  
The man laughed a sickening laugh, the kind that woke him at night when it and the nightmares invaded his sleep.  
This was the being that taunted him. This was the being that claimed him as his own. This was the Master of the Apprentice from four years ago.  
  
"I was, looking for something." He replied after his laughter died down to a throaty chuckle.   
  
"Did you find it?"   
  
The man cackled again, spun on a booted heel and stalked off back through the way he came.   
  
---------------------------------------  
  
**Author's Notes:** Hm. Kinda been moved now. Ish. So um yeah... not written as quickly as I wanted it too. In the end I took a chisel and hammer to the Block ;)  
More as soon as I can get it out to a decent degree :D Massive review thank yous attached to the replies as usual :D 

**Review Thank Yous...  
Skye-Chan 12: You like?!? :D Yaaaya!  
  
Walking Through Shadows: lmao...  
  
MistiWhitesun: mwahaha :D  
Hmm, i haven't seen DS9 for so long! Sky won't replay it any more so I can't remember that much of it.... i remember Jadzia though. She was cool!  
Yea... the characters in Voyager did seem to alter quite a lot, it happens in other shows as well which is quite annoying. Seska was eeeevil!  
Thanks for the heads up on accept/except, i'll go back and fix it when it's all finished :D I love chatty!  
  
shadowjedi1: I know a few kids, which is kind of why Ashden changes in weird ways (as you've probably noticed)... I have a ten year old cousin who talks and acts like he's going on 50, a six year old cousin who is _strange_. I met my friend's 9 year old brother for about 10 minutes, not much time really, but he was showing her all about his school work lol.  
  
Kynstar: -_preens the story_- yaay! new reader! I'm not disclosing things like that in a place like this!  
  
Audreidi: A bit of a mystery story, but also not so much since everyone knows who the bad guy is already, lol.  
  
Kusco: heheee I like all your theories! Makes me want to write a whole OTHER version of it! Ooo i never thought of doing that to Ashden! I'm so conscious of the fact that she's an OC lol.  
Yeah, I'm more of a Smallville fan than a Superman fan, i've seen the odd episode of The New Adventures of Superman, but I've never read the comics. I used to read my bro's Beano's but that's about it lol -_hides_-  
  
Snow-Glory: Meh... Legolas, Obi-Wan... both played by rather cute actors (for Obi i mean McGregor not Guiness :P) Does this chappy answer your question :D  
  
CYNICAL21: Hiya! Ooo i gave you chills? :D That can only be a good thing! :D  
  
master kaym: I have a _style_?! Cool! Yes there is definately more to come :D  
  
Janna Hawkins: Delay, there was. Apologise for this, I do.  
  
Aida: Well um, what's your defination of soon? -_ducks_- it didn't take me months though, just a little over a week... :D  
  
Ciara: Heehee that line's from my mother's view on what she thinks she knows about me.... but I figured Jedi Master have the Force so they actually WOULD know everything :D Here was the next part! No cliffie really this time :D  
  
Knight Kenobi of Eryn Lasgalen: I could never do that! Torture, pathos, pain.... yes.... kill? Noooo!  
  
Author's Notes 2:** Okay, next chapter possibly: Mace, Qui-Gon and Anakin search for the missing Jedi. Will they find them in time before their captor disposes of what he no longer needs? Will Obi-Wan find a way to stop the robed figure? Next time, same bat story, same bat address... 


	15. Of Long Hours

**Authors Note:** Notes and thank yous at the end ;)  
**Disclaimer:** Read the first chappy legal peeps. Too lazy to repeat :)  
  
-----------------------------  
  
_Chapter Fourteen: Of Long Hours_  
  
Anakin's feet were heavy, like someone had hidden lead in the bottom of his boots. They'd been searching for over five hours and Qui-Gon's original lead abruptly disappeared about fifty metres from its appearance.  
Mace Windu approached Qui-Gon with silent footsteps, face shadowed by the dim lighting, "Qui-Gon, maybe it's time to consider that whatever got Obi-Wan has left this building."  
  
"He hasn't left."  
  
"How do you know this?"  
  
"I just do."  
  
"Does the Force tell you this, or your stubborn-ness?"  
  
Qui-Gon stopped short. "You doubt my abilities?"  
  
"I know you."  
  
"The _Force_ tells me, _Mace_."  
  
Anakin ignored the urge to roll his eyes and walked off, intent of going back outside, when he stopped. Darkness swelled and pulsed not far away, whilst Qui-Gon and Windu muttered away among themselves, Anakin stared fixedly at the end of the poorly lit corridor.  
Intrigued, he changed heading, and if he hadn't been so focused he would've missed it, so dismal was the area and the figure that walked from one side to the other. Not even a muffled footfall reached Anakin's perked ears.  
  
And as much as Anakin was annoyed by Obi-Wan Kenobi, disliked him, hated him even, there wasn't much the older Jedi could do to beat him, the Chosen One, was there?  
Besides…. Kenobi wasn't the only one missing.  
And if he, Anakin, the Important Padawan, solved the mystery of their whereabouts, he would be even more famous.  
Incredibly wizard.  
"Master, I think I've found something!"  
  
Qui-Gon and Mace hurried over in rustle of cloaks, hope written on both their faces but pride included in the formers.  
"Where, Anakin?" said Qui-Gon.  
  
Anakin led them down to where he saw the cloaked figure appeared from, but did not mention what he had seen, rather,  
"I can feel something from down here, Master. I think it might be something to do with the missing Jedi."  
  
Mace placed his hands over the wall, barely able to see his hands in front of his face it was a feat to know where the wall began, and felt along it softly.  
"I think your young Padawan has something, but what I feel now…"  
  
"Can't be the missing Jedi." Qui-Gon agreed, "It's what took them."  
  
"There's definitely a door here, I can feel the edges."  
  
"Well where's the lock?" Qui-Gon murmured, joining the Council member in his search-by-feel.  
Anakin liked this kind of question; he could answer this kind of question without even trying. Casting out his senses he knew exactly what he was looking for before he bothered to find it. Locks were something he was well accustomed with -Wattle used them a lot in the mechanical sense, and he used them a lot in the mental sense. He did live with a whole Temple full of telepaths after all -he needed to keep his secrets secret.  
"I've got it, Masters."  
Anakin reached out a hand to the wall, some metre or so from where the older Jedi stood and only at waist height. One press and a slight manipulation with the Force later and it was done.  
He'd saved the day!  
  
"The Dark side seems to permeate everything in here," Mace observed solemnly.  
  
"Well we wouldn't know, thanks to these wonderful pieces." Anakin jumped at the voice, Kenobi's voice, having not sensed it. Why hadn't he sensed it? Palpatine said very few Jedi knew how to do that -and Kenobi was not that good.  
  
"Obi-Wan!"  
  
Qui-Gon rushed forward to burn through the bars that kept the Knight enclosed, and Mace started on the next nearest cell, belonging to Padawan Yana. Anakin, having expected some form of reward, even exultation, for getting them here, was left standing alone in the shadows.  
That was not how he liked it. That was not how this was supposed to go. They were _supposed_ to praise him.  
Windu spared him a quick glance but little more before issuing him an order, "Skywalker, come help us free them."  
Well he couldn't exactly refuse, especially with Qui-Gon in the same room, so begrudgingly; Anakin trudged over to another cell and hid his scowl under a faithfully blank expression.  
"I'll have you out in no time, Padawan Nal-Exan." He said lightly, igniting his lightsaber and relaxing into the comfortable glow.  
The rest were freed in short order, the inhibitors thrown aside in disgust, and with no 'well done' from anyone, Anakin felt well and truly annoyed. Did they not appreciate what he had done for them?  
  
"We're all perfectly fine, Master Windu," Knight Cad-I-Lin was explaining, "The man that captured us just said he was looking for something." She and Kenobi shared a look, deciding on some matter between them. "He was particularly interested in Obi-Wan."  
  
"Oh?" Qui-Gon finished up with the comm. unit and joined the conversation with interest.  
  
"That's because I know who he was." Obi-Wan threw Cad-I-Lin's lightsaber to her and picked up his own things but said nothing more.  
  
"And?" Windu prompted.  
  
"He was the Master Sith."  
  
Unintentionally, Anakin snorted. Cad-I-Lin gave him a sharp look, causing him to quickly smother it into his tunic sleeve with a cough.  
  
"How do you know this?" Windu questioned, hastening them all from the very high-tech makeshift prison and through the rundown lowest levels of the buildings as fast as possible; over thirteen hours had passed since Padawan Yiiy had first been reported missing.  
  
"I am certain of it."  
  
"That is not what I asked, Master Kenobi."  
  
Kenobi let out a long sigh, and switched on his comm.. "I would prefer to discuss such things…"  
  
Windu cut him off with a nod, "Understood -I will call Council meeting as soon as possible: we need to discuss this matter a great deal, Kenobi."  
  
"Yes Master…" Obi-Wan trailed off, reading a message he must've received intently, "Masters could we hurry? Ashden's been unconscious for hours."  
  
Nodding, Windu broke into a jog with Obi-Wan -Qui-Gon followed suit as did the others. Reluctantly, Anakin forced his aching legs to do the same and hated every second of it.  
  
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**Author's Notes:** Eh heh. Have had a very hard time writing this, and I'm still not entirely happy with how it's come out, but it makes sense and i got to where I needed to! So, a thousand sorrys? Or do i need to run a galaxy far far away? _-runs out as soon as she's posted to avoid any angry reviews-_

**Review Thank Yous and Replies to...  
Knight Kenobi of Eryn Lasgalen: Heheee your pager has been on an _awful__ long time now..._  
  
Kynstar: Yea-up I decided to give Obi his sense of humour back, 'cause it seemed to disappear in the movies between Ep1 and Ep2 :)  
  
Hebe: Okay i felt soooo guilty when i re-read your review just now....  
  
Walking Through Shadows: Ok, forgot that you called me a 2 year old until just now. You wait 'til we get back to school missy :P Don't worry it's nothing serious, I'll explain it (briefly) in the next chappy.  
  
MistiWhitesun: Vent away :D Computers are very evil -mines got a weird process that takes up LOADS of RAM but doesn't do anything, so i cancel it every single time i logon :_rolls eyes_:  
_" "This was the Master of the Apprentice from four years ago."… I'm not making the connection," "_: It refers to the Sith on Naboo that Obi-Wan killed -sorry it wasn't very clear, it's just Kenobi's thinking :lol:  
Yup the indentations are now gone for good -lovely ff decided they were obviously evil :_snork_:  
Hmmmm, I didn't notice that until you pointed it out, so I'm going to go back and edit it a little at some point hopefully (it's on my 'to do' list, right after 'art' and 'media' and 'party' LOL, it will get done. It will!) so yes, very grateful for that. I think i meant for around an hour or half hour to have passed. not much time. Aida: Oooo an army of Obi-Wan's.... :_drool_:  
  
nikki: Okay... making me feel guilty too :P  
  
Dha-Gal: :_stares at the longest review she's ever received and does a re-take and collapses in hysterics_: aww man! Hilarious!  
  
Janna Hawkins: Think you might be right, i do. What's revenge of the sith?  
  
Nate: :_ahem's and runs out the door_:  
  
Snow-Glory: Aaaa so many questions, so many answers.... what did you garner from this one? I don't want to give anything away that you don't already have :lol:  
  
Kusco: I think both the supervillan and I are rather _evil super_ villans. No fighting this time... but i really want to have Obi at least kick SOMEone's ass!  
  
Audreidi: Yup he was indeed... it took a rather long time in coming, didn't it?  
  
Cravings: First, WICKED name :D Oooo i have an addict? Awww man that is soooo cool!  
  
Naire: Hay if i have you hooked I'm happy!  
  
Snow-Glory: LOL!  
  
Author's Notes 2: **:_pops back in with her Obi muse and Sirius muse and Harry muse and Chris muse and Harper muse to guard her_: Originally the next chapter was going to be the last (:_GASP!_:) however i think i might extend it for a few more, since I really want to have Obi kick some ass.


	16. Of the Unclear Becoming Clearer

**Authors Note:** Notes and thank yous at the end ;)  
**Disclaimer:** Read the first chappy legal peeps. Too lazy to repeat :) 

-----------------------------

_Chapter Fifteen: Of the Unclear Becoming Clearer _

Obi-Wan ran from the 'lift and to his rooms with little thought. What was there to think about? The Sith had returned, and he was gaining confidence. Ashden was unconscious. The Council would want a report as soon as possible.  
Not much to churn over.  
With barely with strained haste he punched in the entry code and found Bant centimetres from his face.  
"How is she? What happened?" he demanded, a sharp-edged lump lodging in his throat despite the Healer's reassurances that there was nothing wrong.  
"Obi, Obi calm down. Focus." Bant placed placating hands on his shoulders and held them firmly in place. "Ashden's perfectly fine -"

"She's _unconscious_, Bant."

"She was, now it's more like she's in a deep sleep."

Obi-Wan brushed off that detail impatiently; either way she wasn't awake, "Where is she?"

Relinquishing her grasp she stepped aside to let him through to his Padawan's bedroom where she lay, tucked in and peaceful. It calmed his edgy nerves, though he didn't know what he must've been expecting.

"Ashden? Time to wake up, Padawan." Sending a sliver of energy along their bond he felt her stir. Was that it? When the bomb knocked him out, did it jolt their bond? She was only young, not capable of sustaining a psychic shock like that. You should of thought of that Kenobi, he berated himself. He had no time to linger of those thoughts, or thoughts of any kind really.

"Master?"  
Brown eyes opened and peered out from underneath heavy eyelids, and with them her end of their bond opened a little more; t would be a few more months before sleep affected it less.  
"What happened, Master?"

"You, Padawan, passed out." He said it with a smile that came much easier now that he wasn't looking at an apprentice possibly in a coma, despite Bant's reassurances.

"Why?"

"Do you remember what happened?" Granted, he didn't know exactly, but he was getting a pretty good picture painted in his mind from their link; it seemed that when _he_ got knocked out, Ashden felt the effects of his disconnection and got completely overwhelmed.  
Simple enough, but no less disturbing.

"My head went strange, and then… you were waking me up."

Obi-Wan made a decision not long after he took Ashden as his Padawan not to lie, or sugarcoat information that she might need as she got older; one of the good lessons he had learnt from Qui-Gon was that children are only as ignorant to the world as they're taught to be.  
"Do you remember your lessons on training bonds, Ashden?"  
She nodded her head dubiously, uncertainty, he was sure; at what in Force they had to do with this.  
"And you can feel ours?"

"Sometimes,"

"Well, when I was looking for the missing apprentice's I was attacked," he paused, seeing her eyes widen and fill with fear, "nothing you need to worry about, it happens quite a lot in the lower levels, Jedi or not, but when my connection to the Force was completely disrupted, our bond was disrupted so your mind was shocked and that's why you passed out."

"Oh. Are you okay? Who attacked you? Are you going to be all right? Did you catch whoever did it? Have you found the Padawans?"

He smiled, placating her questions with a hand gently over her mouth. "That is what I'm going to be sorting out, so that is why I would like you to stay with Thew for a couple of days, so you won't have to be alone again while Bant is busy and you don't have lessons."

"You're leaving?"

"Not leaving, just, going on a mission. I'll be back, I promise."

"_Promise_ promise?"

"Promise promise. Now get some sleep, tomorrow I have a meeting with the Council and then I'll help you take some things to Thew's dormitory."

"Yes Master."

Tucking her in, Obi-Wan hoped that he wouldn't be breaking that promise.  
Nor did he miss the look of sad resignation in her eyes as he turned out the light and closed the door.

---

"Master Sith, you believe your captor was?"

"I do."

"Why? What is your basis for such an assumption, Master Kenobi?"

Once more all twelve members of the High Council were seated around the chamber with solemn faces and unreadable expressions.  
Question after question was fired at him, every and any answer he gave carefully scrutinised and worked over with and without his knowledge.

"I recognised him, Masters."

"Recognised him? How?"

"From where?"

"I have had dreams, visions of him for years. There was no mistake -I have no doubt over what he is."

"Question, you do, _who_ he is." Yoda said gravely.

"Yes Master."

"How long have you been having these visions?"

"What do they contain?"

Obi-Wan refrained from answering straight away. What did his nightmares contain?  
Fear, anger, hate, silent promises of destruction, manic laughter, fear… yes. Lots of fear.  
_His_ fear.  
The base emotion a Jedi should not fear.  
"Fear, Masters. In them, I fear for something, or possibly…"

"You fear him."

Obi-Wan nodded.

Yoda's ears twitched in thought, his eyelids drooping. "What feel you now?"

"Nothing. I just want to find out who he is."

"But it's not just a desire to uncover a dangerous mystery, is it?"

"It is a need,"

"A Jedi should not need,"

"Need brings out emotions,"

"Emotions cloud judgement."

Obi-Wan refused to be swayed from his decision. He stood stock-still and tall, not letting any of his thoughts colour his expression or to reach the surface, where the Council members could so easily reach them.  
"I must go. I know him. I know how he will react; I know where he will be. I know he has found what he wants. I _am_ the logical choice."

Yoda spoke sharply, "Official mission, this is not! You being stubborn, it is."

"Master, the Jedi are failing -our numbers are falling year by year, month by month as less Force-sensitive's are found and our Knights and Master are killed. We have the Sith Master, we only need to lure him out."

"Believe you can do this? Hmm? _Lure_ Sith? Long time, he has hidden. One day, matter to him it will not."

"Maybe," he conceded, "But whatever he was looking for did, enough for him to risk this exposure."

The conversation, if it could be called that, lulled, and the Master conferred silently again leaving Obi-Wan to mull over his thoughts one more. The pull was still there. The want. The _need_, to find out what the Sith wanted.

"You may go." Spoke Windu.

Yoda looked up at him through heavy lidded eyes, "But approve, I do not."

---

Obi-Wan checked in on Ashden once more, securing the window again and tucking in both youngsters.  
There was no telling if he'd be gone one hour or sixteen, as such, there was no way he was leaving his Padawan alone.  
He was just going to have to make sure that he came back. In one piece.

Mind calm and centre strong he shrugged into his cloak and clipped on his lightsaber. If all went to plan he would need it. If things went brilliantly, the Sith would be exposed.

"Mmm, Wise is this?" Yoda's gravel voice came through the air, at any other time Obi-Wan would've been startled, not today however. He'd never been so… so _connected_ to the Force when not meditating.  
And he had to admit.  
He did love it.

"I want to know what he found. I want to know why so many Jedi had to die for it."

"Dangerous, it is." Yoda shuffled into the light of the corridor, his stick tapping on the cold floor gently.

"Many things are, Master."

"This…" he knocked his gimmer stick at Obi-Wan's considerably larger leg -a silent cue for him to come a bit lower, "Understand, you do not. How much at stake, you realise?"

"Master I understand something, and that is that I _heard_ the Sith in my dreams last night. He wants me but doesn't think I'll arrive at his little meeting. I fully intend to surprise him and fight him. He has to realise that the Jedi are not as weak as he believes."

"Stubborn, you are."

"And I always will be, Master. May the Force be with you." Rising with a low by steady bow he ended their conversation with a nod and continued out of the Temple and into the streets of

The diminutive Master murmured after the fading figure before going his own way, "And with you."

Obi-Wan swept through the streets, sliding through the gaps between the streams of people on the upper levels like a fish gliding though water, winding his way to the lower levels where the people thinned and the light dimmed.  
The meeting place itself was so unobtrusive; Obi-Wan had struggled to find it on a map. Existing between the grey area that wasn't termed low or high, it was one of the levels that served as a delivery bays for the considerably large commerce stores. As it was, the site itself was a large circle, surrounded by towering walls slick with things that either started dark, or were so incredibly dirty and pollution ridden that they now appeared black.  
Oddly, he saw the figure and didn't feel it first, though it made sense. A Sith would need to be excellent at cloaking his Force signature to the general public in case a Jedi happened to pass through.  
Keeping his distance, he climbed down to the level on which the other stood and paced warily to where he had a good view.

"Did you find it?" he demanded.

"Of course. You came, I wasn't sure whether your Council would permit it."

"I would have come anyway."

"I'm sure." The man, turned to face him across the space, his face completely covered by the same large overhanging hood that was present in Obi-Wan's dreams. His voice came, not naturally, but through a modulator.  
A disguise.

"What do you want?"

"I should think that is obvious."

"Enlighten me."

"The _Jedi_ my dear boy, the _Jedi_. The Jedi and their precious saviour."

"We have no saviour."

"Oh but you do, it's just not that Anakin Skywalker. I thought it was for a year or two, but it is not."

Obi-Wan withdrew further into the shadows, putting up stronger shields not only to block out the probes he felt prying at the fringes of his senses, but also to keep in his own thoughts, which were quickly falling into disarray. Anakin _not_ the Chosen One? That didn't make any sense! Qui-Gon's Count from the boy showed an amount off the _charts_!

"Confused are you, boy? Let me tell you a story," The Sith laughed his sickly cackle and continued still chuckling, "once, on a planet in the very most Outer-Rim where the Republic was not recognised there was a woman, barely grown from a teenager. This woman was a slave, and slaves are called upon to do many tasks by their Masters, as they are so inclined. This woman was ordered to… pleasure, her Master, but shortly after he sold her for some quick and easy money, never knowing she was pregnant. The woman passed from Master to Master for several months until she had the child, and she called him Anakin. She never told anyone of the boy's true father, because she wanted nothing to do with him. And, well, when you came by, who could pass up an opportunity like that? Your ancient prophecy is well known throughout nearly every planet with space travel.  
"Does the tale sound familiar, Jedi?"

Obi-Wan kept silent. Shmi had lied to them? To Qui-Gon? Or did Qui-Gon know?

-----------------------------------

**Author's Notes:** Once again, my apologies on the lateness! I've had exams and coursework (still have coursework...) and life-troubles.... i was going to make this chapter longer, but I've been having trouble as to how to write what comes next.... so that's why this chapter might seem like it ended a bit abruptly -it wasn't originally supposed to end there!

**Review Thank Yous and Replies:**

**sharon**

**MistiWhitesun:** sorry, i forget what people don't like, i'll try to not say that kind of thing in future ;)

**CelticPhantom:** Something about a shovel and Anakin, i believe, lol....

**Kusco:** Oooo you make a good point! Okay, amendment: Obi-Wan doesn't show his sense of humour enough in Ep2 :D I didn't mean for him to turn into an evil kid, because well, i don't think he is. He's just an obnoxious kid ;)

**Janna Hawkins**

**MidnightPrincess:** don't tempt me!

**grumpy2348**

**Sith Lord Darth Revan:** I only know of mine and one other too, Shanobi's, right? If not, GO READ SHANOBI'S (as well!!)!!

**Knight Kenobi of Eryn Lasgalen:** No apologies needed mellon nin! I took me forever to update!

**Snow-Glory:** me? not answer questions? i don't know what you're talking about...

**Lame Crown:** that would be what i was hinting at, as Evil Sith Dude just did aussi :D Sorry, I tend to split implications and explanations over a few chapters, don't i? Ooo they're good questions, they are ;)

**Saiyan Jedi:** you're making me blush!

**Dha-Gal:** _- runs far away quickly, picking up Obi-bits along the way - He will live again!_

**april**

**Webkitsune:** also making me go very red!

**Itha Arrowland**

**SereneNuit** Hmmm, that's a valid point though, so I'll try and incorporate it, if i can :)


	17. Of Self Revelations

**Authors Note:** Notes and thank yous at the end ;)  
**Disclaimer:** Read the first chappy legal peeps. Too lazy to repeat :)  
**Dedicated To:** Crydwyn, for her lovely e-mail :) 

-----------------------------

_Chapter Sixteen: Of Self-Revelations_

"What you are saying isn't possible."

The reply came back quickly and scathingly, putting him in his place with a patronising tone, "Neither is the existence of the Sith, boy."

"That is evidently possible seeing as a killed your apprentice not five years ago, actually." Obi-Wan kept talking, wincing as the Sith mentally beat upon the reinforced shielding without rest, "What you are saying makes no logical sense."

"Then you admit the Jedi have a saviour?"

"I admit nothing."

The Sith stepped further into the shadows, completely disappearing from view. His words echoed around as if it was the litereal voice of the surrounding darkness. Quite apt, Obi-Wan mused absently, "Boy you are talking in more circles than your _Master Yoda_. I do not have time for this, _you_ are not ready to know the truth."

"What truth, your truth? You'rea Sith, you know only lies."

"Another indoctrinated falsity the Jedi have drilled into you from day one, I'm afraid. We Sith are quite capable of truth, it just depends on your point of view."

Kenobi's eyes flicked about the area, having now lost the Sith who was still blocked from his Force senses. Indeed this was making him very uneasy and now he had a very bad feeling about the situation. Where was he? And what was this truth?

"You see, the truth is," A crimson lightsaber levelled itself at Obi-Wan's neck, "the Jedi will never beat me, not even you."

We must have strength over fear, he reminded himself, whilst the time-old weapon of the Order, once never split down the lines of Light and Dark, hovered a mere breath away from his neck, its searing heat singing the hair on his neck. "And why me?"

"You will never kn-" the Sith stopped, faltering, and his attentions diverted from bringing down Obi-Wan's shields to another source, one that he recognised all to well. Ashden! What was she doing here? Unadulterated fear shot through his heart and jolted his fingers even as they were locked by his sides. There were others with her, though he couldn't identify them in the light, assumed were her trusty friends, Thew, Sa-Bay, Amati and Uli. "-hello children.."

"Padawan, take your friends and go back to the Temple. Now."

Ashden stopped at the edge of the shadows that inked the walls, standing in the light and stared at the Sith holding Obi-Wan at 'saber point, "You're the one who's been hurting him," she said, "not Master Jinn. It's you, isn't it?"

What was she even doing here? He left her at the Temple for a reason! It was safe and guarded, especially in recent months, how in Force's name had five children not even thirteen circles old snuck out undetected? "Ashden take your friends and go home _now_."  
It came out sharper than he intended, but there was no time to soften his words. They were in danger and were so because they disobeyed a direct instruction.

"Ah yes," said the Sith, "Padawan Ashden Fahaay, you've been Master Kenobi's apprentice for a few months now, haven't you? Interesting, isn't it Jedi, how children have the ability to see the obvious. I do believe it is called innocence… sad how it can be ripped away in an instant."

"Leave my Master alone, you, you, Sith!"

The being still behind him chuckled deep in his throat, and curled a finger inwards, bring Sa-Bay forward off the floor and into the air, hovering at a much higher height. Struggling against the invisible aggressor, Sa-Bay raised his hands to his neck in a pointless attempt to clear the path to his airway but it was no use. The remaining children screamed in shock, unawares that it could be done, and rushed forward but Obi-Wan knew it would be no use. They wouldn't be able to help him now. In fact, their despair for their friend seemed to amuse the Sith to greater heights because he toyed with the child for a few seconds, spinning him in the air as he was slowly choked to death.  
High pitched screams rose as the human boy turned first red, and then a steadily growing blue whilst his lungs were deprived of vital air. In a sudden rush, the four children ran at the Sith, completely mindless of any danger to themselves. This was the outcome it wanted, with one violent push Sa-Bay was thrown to the opposite wall with a resounding crack and Obi-Wan knew that was the end of the young one's life. He felt it not only through the Force on a peripheral level, but also a deeper, more personal level he was becoming more accustomed too: Sa-Bay was not meant to die this day, yet he had. The Force was becoming unbalanced and he was standing there watching it happen, at lightsaber point or not. However, in the same moment that Sa-Bay had lost his life and these thoughts had occurred to Obi-Wan, the Sith had accumulated the strong concentration of Force power which resulted in an electric blue lightening.  
Everything was happening so fast… the children were crying, rushing at the Sith but held at bay by its invisible wall.  
Force lightening licked at the tips of the Sith's fingers, crackling with the dark anticipation that was filling the air with foul stench, and Obi-Wan knew what he had to do with the utmost clarity, knew how to do it, knew exactly when to execute the moves, knew exactly what could go wrong and what could go right, depending on the variables around him.  
Slamming his own Force wall backwards, the searing burn of the 'saber on the skin of his neck was almost nothing to the sheer exhilaration of knowing this was _right_, what he felt was _right_. He drew his own 'saber, igniting it green in an instant and squared off with the Sith.  
"Ashden, run home now. Take your friends and run, don't stop until you find Master Yoda, he'll be in the Room of a Thousand Fountains. I'll bring Sa-Bay as soon as I can. _Don't_ question me, Amati, nor you Thew, just go. _Now_."

"But Master -" sniffed Ashden,

"_Now_, Ashden. Run, as fast as you can."

He didn't spare them another thought, the sound of their footsteps echoed into the distance and he was free to focus all of his concentration on the dark being before him.  
Silence stretched between them for seconds leading to eternity, taking a step to the right, a few paces to the left, sizing each other up as opponents and mortal enemies.  
The assault on his shields had lessened some, and in response Obi-Wan sent out his own more cautious probes to the dark beings mind but still found nothing as if he wasn't even there at all. Frustration threatened to shake the composure that blanketed his emotions; the answers to all his midnight thoughts, to all his nightmares and to so many of the unanswered questions many Jedi held in these dark times was stood barely six feet in front of him, hidden from visual sight in nothing more than a billowing cloak and overhanging hood.  
He was so close!

In the end, it was the Sith that spoke first, breaking the almost intimate silence, "It's thrilling isn't it? That rush of power, knowing you can use it to any means."

"Is that what turned you, your thirst for power? Your _need_ for control?"

"I was never _turned_, boy, I am what I am and always have been. To me, I wonder what it is that made you choose to turn to the weak. Now, shall we dance?"

The question, asked so lightly, posed an odd choice of words for the predicament both were in. A dead child lay behind Obi-Wan, whom was facing off with the Master Sith armed with nothing more than a lightsaber, and renewed sense of being, and whats more, the Sith held not only his own weapon, but a command over Force lightening which still crackled in one hand. Which would he use first? He could not fight in a 'saber battle with just one hand, surely that was simple impossible… although if there was one thing Obi-Wan was learning, it was that nothing was impossible.

"Lets."

A mere milli-second of a warning was all he received before the onslaught began. Electricity burned across the air, aiming directly for his chest and caused Obi-Wan to fall a step back, towards the oh-so-still body of Sa-Bay, under the pressure of its blow.  
And so the dance began, the Sith coursing electricity to Obi-Wan, who either absorbed it completely with his 'saber, or deflected it away. But no good dance is monotonous, it has variety, such is the spice of life, and the sizzling crackle of lightsaber crossed with lightsaber soon rang through the dank and dismal area.  
Time lost all meaning, only that he survived long enough to bring news to the Temple, which was more than surely four shocked little ones would be able to manage, and it would be unfair of him to expect that of them. Obi-Wan couldn't deny that the Sith was a master swordsman, accurate, focussed and determined -a deadly combination. But Obi-Wan had fought a Sith before, knew the style, knew to keep his composure, knew that to win, he'd have to use his opponents weaknesses against him. The only problem was, right now? He was rather preoccupied with merely staying _alive_, the base instinct all sentient beings shared.  
Determined to survive, Obi-Wan began analysing everything he could about their fight, like the way every move he made, the Sith blocked perfectly, as if he knew them off by heart, had been practising for just as long as Obi-Wan had… which made sense. What better way for the Sith to beat its mortal enemies, the Jedi, than to literally know their every move? So what could he do, what could the Jedi do now?  
Oh Force, what should I do?  
How long they'd be fighting, Obi-Wan had no idea, his entire self was devoted to this battle, this second and the second ahead, but a fatal sense of hopelessness was starting to descent upon him. Every form he'd ever been taught was failing to even shake the Sith, yet they did serve to exhaust him much quicker.  
_Well then why are you doing it, Padawan?_ His Master's voice came unbidden to his mind, quiet and serene within itself.  
_Will come, answers, when mind is open._  
Well I suppose I'll listen to my elders, he thought. Even though the prior was by no means in his good books, the advice his unconscious had provided was common sense. And so, against his usual better judgement, Obi-Wan stopped trying to beat the Sith, and simply fought him using his senses and his own body's agility.  
Results appeared almost immediately, because as every good strategist knows: there is no defence against chaos. It wasn't long before the Sith had to put in effort on his own part, and the pair parried between the reversing positions of offence and defence.  
To Obi-Wan it felt as if he were flying, the Force flowed through him without obstruction or hesitation, filling every crevice and fingertip, guiding his every move with lightning precision. His movements began to take a form of pattern unlike ever he'd ever practised as a Padawan, although he saw through strangely distant eyes that some were similar to the higher (much higher) levels of Kata's that some Masters and Knights attempted. Himself included. But whatever he was doing was working. The Sith was being forced into a more and more defensive position each minute, and in their more frantic and hurried bouts Obi-Wan knew he felt a glimmer of fear that the Jedi, he, would win this fight, but that fear was always soaked in an old rage, and ancient anger that bubbled and boiled within his oppositions being. It felt familiar, very familiar indeed. It felt like his nightmares, the nightly terrors that haunted his sleep on occasion, and it felt like the fight he'd witnessed not long ago. In the very Temple itself. The Sith was managing to influence the young Initiates to much greater anger than they should be capable of.

"As intriguing as this is my dear boy," panted the Sith, "I feel it is time for me to leave you -until we meet again. You've been of great help." With a Force-assisted jump, the Sith leaped backwards several feet, throwing out a smoke bomb laced with some kind of acid, because seconds later Obi-Wan's eyes were running near rivers as he attempted to rid them of the smoke.  
That was it? How could- Why would- How did he- what? Obi-Wan's mind span nearly as much as the floor. Maybe if it stopped spinning it wouldn't feel as if his head was being smashed against the wall and mashed with a larger hydraulic hammer?  
"Get a grip, Kenobi," he muttered, rubbing his streaming eyes once more, "You've got a job to do."

Tired and stumbling, Obi-Wan nearly collapsed next to the prone figure that lay on the cold floor. Ten cycles old… his life had barely begun before it ended. There wasn't any blood, nor any limbs at obscene angles, it looked like he was only sleeping, yet when Obi-Wan reached out a hand to smooth away the dark blonde hair he found skin that was much to cold, now turning a little to pale, and eyes that stared into nothing. Closing the boy's eyes, Obi-Wan gathered the last of his strength and lifted the young Jedi into his arms as carefully and gently as he could, and made his way home, praying the other children and his Padawan arrived there safely and into warm arms to care for them.

& & & &

Yoda paced the steps of the Jedi Temple at a deliberately slow pace, tapping his gimmer stick in rhythmic times hoping to ease the tension building up within the others around him inside the Temple. With him stood only Bant, all other Jedi were on full alert at either their sentry posts, posts outside of the Temple, or with the young ones.  
Some hours had passed since Obi-Wan left the Temple, determined to get to the bottom of what he was no doubt feeling. The time Yoda had tried to plan for, for some twenty eight cycles, was fast approaching and, despite all his years of experience, the ancient Master had not decided how to tell the young man that he was the Chosen One. Chosen to bring balance to the Force, now falling ever faster out of balance, Chosen and fated many years ago by beings who'd never met the boy, nor the man he'd grown to be.  
It was a heavy burden to carry. And though Yoda did not doubt Obi-Wan's ability or integrity or in any way at all, the child was completely of the Light that was the point, he doubted the fairness of it. It wasn't fair to place such a weight on any beings shoulders, and have the carry it simply because it was foreseen for them, ordained years before even Yoda existed.  
No, what Yoda decided in the many cycles he'd had to mentally debate the issue, was that he would never break the news to Obi-Wan. Something so significant Yoda could never force on a person. When Obi-Wan came to him with questions, as he inordinately would, such was his nature, he would answer them and give information and council as he always did. And, if what he'd sensed through the Force was right, that time was very near, very near indeed. When the four children came running back to the Temple, ash-white and crying, the Master knew it was coming that very night. All were with their Care Master, or in young Ashden's case, former Care Master, and the Healers in attempts to sooth their terrified and grieving minds -from what they had stuttered, the Sith killed Initiate Sa-Bay Vour purely because he could. Because he knew it would hurt Obi-Wan and the Jedi. A completely pointless death, but in no way mindless.  
A near-blinding presence to his Force senses bought Yoda out of his musings. There, in the distance, Obi-Wan Kenobi was running towards the Temple with a bundle in his arms.  
"Returning to us, Obi-Wan is."

"Master, that's Obi? But his signature is so…"

Yoda looked up at the Calamarian Healer, still yet a Padawan, and spoke so seriously there was no doubt to his words, though they were not cruel in any way, just well and truly meant, "Tell people of this, you must _not_, explained later, all will be."

Face solemn, Bant nodded and bowed, "Yes, Master Yoda."

When Obi-Wan reached the steps, Bant sprinted down to meet him, taking the burden of the dead child from his arms as they slowly came back up.

"Take the child you will, prepare him for ceremony. Talk with Master Kenobi, I must."

Bant nodded silently and left the two alone, one shivering in a cold that wasn't present and the other observing with old eyes, saddened and worried. "Follow me, you will. Tea, what you need is."  
Wordlessly the pair traversed the distance to Yoda's quarters, and still with no words they sat in the cushions as Yoda made and served a soothing tea.

"The Sith have returned, I fought the Master tonight," Obi-Wan stared into the tea, breathing slow, "He knew every Jedi move, every one, they were so easy for him, Master, it was as if he'd been practising them three life times more. I, I didn't know what to do… he was beating me without barely trying and, and he was _enjoying_ it, Master… yet, I was not afraid. I felt the Force coursing through me, it was like, like air and blood and it was in me completely until I let it guide me without hesitation, without any thought -I stopped thinking and just, was, Master. It taught me how to fight in a new way, a way the Sith didn't, but I've never seen anything like it, Master Yoda, not even in the most accomplished swordsmen we have, it was only then that the Sith had to try, and try hard. But, he left -abandoned the fight before I could unveil his true identity."

Yoda grunted, his ears twitching, and motioned that Obi-Wan should finish his tea, before any further words were said.  
"Noticed difference, in self, have you? Hmm?"

He nodded, but his sweat-soaked hair stayed stuck to his forehead, "I feel, different… stronger."

"Changed, signature has, amplified it has been."

"But it feels right, Master, how can that -" She never told anyone of the boy's true father, because she wanted nothing to do with him. And, well, when you came by, who could pass up an opportunity like that? Your ancient prophecy is well known throughout nearly every planet with space travel. Does the tale sound familiar, Jedi? "Master Yoda, the Sith said Shmi lied, that Anakin does have a father… that he isn't the Chosen One, how could that be? I tested his midi-chlorean count myself."

"Computer mistake, that was. Higher than average, young Skywalker's count is, but not unremarkable, it is not."

The pained expression of betrayal struck Obi-Wan's smooth features, his eyes becoming an even more tortured blue-grey as his mind tried to process the truth slowly unravelling before him, "Anakin isn't… was never… and you knew, this whole time?"

"Know, I did."

"Does Qui-Gon know… does he even suspect? Does anyone?"

"Great secret, this is, know of it only you, Mace, Shmi and I. Suspect, does anyone? Powerful thing, hope is. Taken it away from us, should I? Exposed truth to universe, should I?"

"The truth…" Obi-Wan trailed off, staring at a point in the distance, thought processes ticking over one acknowledgment at a time, "The Sith, he wanted _me_, has been trying to influence me for months. I confirmed who he was influencing and looking for tonight, didn't I?"

Yoda said nothing, his ears twitched briefly, but his doleful eyes never left the young Master before him. He had to come to his own decision.

"But, that wouldn't make any sense… my mother and father lived on Tatooine, they died years ago -I can't be who he's looking for. The Chosen One has to have no biological father. He made a mistake…"

"Fight him, you did? Feeling what?"

"I just wanted to get back here, Master. I didn't feel anything, otherwise I wouldn't be sitting here, would I?"

Shifting on the cushions, the little green Master grunted in response, neither affirming nor denying anything. The problem Obi-Wan was having at the moment, it seemed, was that he didn't want it to be true, he was helplessly flailing in denial, could no longer claim blissful ignorance.

"I felt the Force, can still feel it… Master, is that why you say my signature has changed? Been amplified? Through this, changed, connection?" With no response forthcoming, he was forced to talk through his thoughts one by one, for nearly an hour, until finally, he said nothing more and sighed. Yoda knew the time had come for explanations unto the revelations.  
"What does it mean, Master? How could no one have known, until now?"

"Still, no one knows. Dampener, carry I do. Sensed your signature, only Padawan Erin and I did. Changed, it has not, re-asserted itself, it has. On birth, your mother and I knew who you were. Hide signature, we decided, knew it would not last forever. Broke through the cloak I had placed on you, it has. Put it back, I cannot. Learn to, you will, if wish to, you do -"

"But what does it mean, Master?" interrupted Obi-Wan, desperation and confusion colouring the room, "Who am I?"

"Hmphf." Yoda jabbed his stick at the younger Jedi and frowned deeply, "Changed, have you? Sense change in who you are, I do not. Thoughts changed? Feelings? Not who changed, nothing changed, Obi-Wan Kenobi are you. Simply truth found way out. True potential, now can you achieve."

Obi-Wan didn't look convinced, however he chose not to disagree with the wizened one.

"Decide what to do now, we must. Recommend your secret stay kept, I do, for your protection."

"So does Bant know?"

"Know only that your connection changed for battle, does Padawan Erin. Your decision, it must be, to tell any of your identity."

"And Anakin?"

"Know the truth, he must. Sense this, I do. Arrogance becoming of Jedi, it is not. Learn this, he has not and cannot while Qui-Gon also thinks Chosen One, he is. Lenient, he has become." Yoda set down the long empty cup with a gentle push through the Force, and stood, "Now, he sleeps. Tomorrow, choice he will make: Jedi or not."

"And what do we do now, Master?"

He walked through the doorway to the corridor outside without looking back, knowing in his voice, "Easy, answer is. Tired and upset, three Initiates and a Padawan are. Go to them, I will. Comfort, this time is. Lost dear friend at young age, they have."

Jumping to his feet, all battle fatigue disappearing in an instant, Obi-Wan joined Yoda with an energy he didn't know he had, "Ashden! Did she get back here okay?"

"Returned well, all did. Cared for, they have been, but need her Master, young one does. Ask her of her mission, you should. Interesting tale, it was. To help you, only what she wanted."

"Why would I need help?" he asked in disbelief some minutes later, apparently unable to find a suitable answer.

"Perceptive, children are. Sensed your pain, she did. Understand, she did not, the cause."

"The Sith…"

Yoda made a sound that was something akin to a snort and tapped his gimmer stick harder on the floor, "Forgot your Master, have you? Sort matters out, you must. Afford to be at odds with other Jedi, none of us can."

"I -"

"Arrived, we have."

Yoda stood solemnly at one side of the doorway to what used to be Ashden's shared bedroom with Sa-Bay, Thew and three other children who must have been temporarily moved in order to accommodate Amati and Uli.

Voice low he said, "Understand death, they did not. Tried, we have. Older two, understand now. Young ones, grasp why, they cannot."

Obi-Wan nodded, "Because there was no reason, not in their eyes."

"Yes, explain to Initiate Niiob, I will."

"And I Ashden."

It was at that moment, the children looked up from their Care Master to the doorwa and upon seeing her Master alive and well, the young Padawan leaped to her feet to embrace him as tightly as she good, as if assuring herself he was really in one piece, crying tears that he knew would have to be shed.  
Picking her up like he had when he first met her, frightened and alone hearing everyone's thoughts, he nodded once to the Care Master and Yoda, and left, soothing the crying child as he did so. And it occurred to the Master, who in his hundreds of years as a Jedi, Master of over twenty apprentices and witness to all to many prophecy claims, that Obi-Wan was entirely true to his mother's nature and the name she gave him. Muriel's gift of the Light, to the Light. Balance would come.

-----------------------------------

**Author's Notes:** um, forgive me? I plead insanity anda rather forgetful memory. I know where i'm going with this now (since my plan ran out quite a few chapters ago) and there's only two chapters left.. i'll tie up as of the loose ends as possible but some are just not meant to be done so in this story... some are for the sequel ;)

**Review Thank Yous and Replies:**

**bluberry/n/cream:** it would? well in my plan i've only got 2 chapters left so :) not long left now :D

**Crydwyn**

**Psycho Zlaya:** lol yeah i am a bit of a slow writer... i blame myself for staring at the screen and thinking about what to write next, rather than actually doing it lol :)

**Jedi-Bant:** yeh yoda is sooo underrated. i love yoda :D

**brierhart**

**silverkitcat**

**passon (x2):** it's fun listening to everyone's ideas... keep going :)

**cravings:** you can beg if you want i suppose... i'd rather you didn't, its kind of odd :) Its just nice knowing somebody likes the story :)

**Itha Arrowland**

**Ranger000**

**SoloKenobi:** You made me blush! Thank you so much:D

**april**

**Dha-Gal:** once again, loved the review :D

**Lame Crown**

**SereneNuit:** Heheheheh questions questions questions, have some been answered? Hope your patience hasn't worn off:D


	18. Of Tears and Moving On

**Authors Note:** Notes and thank yous at the end ;)  
**Disclaimer:** Read the first chappy legal peeps. Too lazy to repeat :)  
**Dedicated To:** Phoenix Red Lion 

_Chapter Seventeen: Of Tears and Moving On_

Obi-Wan was exhausted. He'd only ever felt more tired than this once, and that was four years ago after fighting the Sith's apprentice and healing Qui-Gon. Now he'd fought the Sith Master, and spent half the night (so far) staying with his distraught Padawan, who was finding it very hard to grasp the senseless murder of her friend. She just couldn't make sense of it.  
"This is one of those things, my Padawan," he sighed, hoping it wouldn't come to this, "that you will understand with time." Tilting her head up to look at his he smiled gently and wiped away the fresh tears, "The Sith don't have to have a reason for their hate, for their anger, they acts on motivations based on their dark emotions, their greed and liking for causing others pain. Can you understand that?"

A small, hesitant nod followed, one of only a few that night, and it was one large victory for Obi-Wan. There would be another matter to address, that of her mission to help him, but that was for another day, when both were well rested and calmer.

"Try and sleep, Padawan, tomorrow will still come and you can't hide from it, no matter how much you want to." Or however good you think you are at hiding… Obi-Wan wrapped a blanket around Ashden's shoulders and settled down for a long night of thinking. Qui-Gon… the Sith… Anakin… the Chosen One, him? His years of nightmares… the recent months of taunting manipulation in his mind… the deaths of so many Jedi… It was a lot for Obi-Wan to take in, considering he'd spent near enough his whole life thinking he wasn't worthy of the clothes he wore. Now he was the Chosen One? It seemed that only one mystery remained, that of the Sith's identity, and when he would strike again. Well, that was two mysteries actually.  
Not to mention that of what the Jedi were going to do now. The Sith and their way of spreading darkness through lies and deceit and evil doings were the only enemy that had ever truly threatened the Jedi. The Sith Wars were a lot closer than many thought. Corusant was a prime example of that -no Jedi had to reach far with their senses to find darkness on any planet, but Obi-Wan had always (and now he possibly knew why, although he wasn't quite sure he wanted to) sensed it much more keenly than others. He could visualise the tendrils snaking through the planet, weaving their way into everyday life from the thickened fingers that held the giant city in its firm grasp.  
What could he do about it? He was just one man, one Jedi, his primary training wasn't even in battles and war, it was in diplomacy! Though, granted since his knighthood, and even during his apprenticeship most diplomatic situations dissolved into all out war, if they hadn't started out that way already. Yet still…  
He couldn't think over this many thoughts at once, his mind was in too much turmoil from what Yoda had, well, not exactly _told_ him, from what Yoda had confirmed in his own roundabout way that involved not saying it first. Tricky little green troll, he was. He needed to meditate, to clear his mind, to concentrate and sort through all these feelings that were winding him up so tightly.  
Very carefully, Obi-Wan shifted Ashden in his arms a little, loosening the muscles ever so slightly, causing her to stir.  
"Sssh, Ash. I'm here, I'm here Ashden." Stroking her hair, which was much easier now, he held as still as possible before assuring himself he would wake up if she moved at all, and fell into a much needed trance, falling steadily through the levels of meditative trances, Obi-Wan soon found one he was comfortable with, not so deep he wouldn't be aware if Ashden moved, but not so light that he was distracted by other little things.  
Here, inside his own mind, was where he felt remarkably safe, and where he kept the knowledge that he would prefer others not knowing, like the signature of the old evil he'd felt through the Initiates some time ago, and the feelings towards Qui-Gon that were locked away in a saddened corner. Any dreams that caused distracted were here also, there had been a fair few over the course of his life. Many involved simply the fact that people in his life hadn't died. Sometimes, he'd take them out to marvel at them, but he didn't do it often: the dead were dead, it was a harsh, horrible knowledge, but true. Tonight, he added Sa-Bay to the dreams, wishing he were still alive, for he truly was not meant to have died -his destiny was extinguished early, whatever he was meant to do, to change, to live, thwarted before it began. Obi-Wan felt it like a knife through the heart.

And so he went of for many hours that night, marvelling at the what-could-have-been's and the what-should-have-been's and still the what-might-be's, like Anakin's mother, until he forced himself to put them away again, regretful as he was, and moved on to other matters. It was only Yoda's dampener in his pocket (which the little green master had conspicuously slipped in as they parted ways) that kept the whole Temple from noticing. Cranked up to full power as it was, Ashden still knew something was different about her Master, though she had dutifully kept it out of their conversation earlier. His shielding would have to be much improved, and it was good already, as after one mission not two years ago, it was required of him that in order to live, he had to master the art of completely hiding his Force signature from other Force sensitive beings. From force of habit, he spent much of the time outside of the Temple employing that trick. However, that was his 'old' signature, this new one was different. Needed… examining further from the inside in an almost clinical fashion before moving on to the tiny intricacies that made it his own.  
Once he had blocking it completely, it was just a matter of letting a small amount show, the same level as his previous 'normal' signature, no problem at all when one knew how.  
It was just time-consuming.

When morning came, Obi-Wan was dozing. The dampener in his pocket having been switched off a few hours ago, his signature appeared just as it always had. Nobody would be any the wiser. His mind was still reeling, but to a degree he could deal with. During the night Obi-Wan came to the decision that he would not seek out the Sith, not now. He would prepare, speak with Yoda, learn as much as he could (and would be suggesting that soon all Jedi would know of the Sith's return that all others, from Initiate to old Master, did too) and keep a look out for the despicable, dangerous being, but he would not look for it again. Would never answer its call like a pup again. As for Qui-Gon… at Yoda's behest he wouldn't actively avoid the man again, however, he certainly wasn't going to go out of his way to find him, nor engage in conversation of his own accord unless held at 'saber point. He would simply have to cross the rickety broken bridge of their relationship when he came to it.  
It was the Bell of Mourning that awoke both Master and Padawan. Once, twice, three times it tolled, signalling that a funeral for a fallen Jedi would be held in one hour.  
Lately, Obi-Wan thought, it was being rang much to often. Today it shouldn't have even been in use at all.  
Nudging his yawning Padawan, Obi-Wan lifted her onto her feet, "Come on Ashden, we'll get changed and then… say goodbye, okay?"

"'Kay."

----

A circle of hooded figures stood around a funeral pyre, but there was nothing sinister about them. In their silence they were bound together by grief, despite the creed of there being no death, only the Force, the sudden loss of any person is a dreadful, painful shock.  
Those present ranged greatly in age, from the venerable Master Yoda, to Ashden, who was staring at the pyre intently, her gaze fixed upon it as if she could wish her friend back to life through that simple action.  
Care Master Da-Sarin spoke quietly, but her words reached to all present without hindrance. Heartfelt, the eulogy was one written by a mother for her child, a position Obi-Wan thought he was beginning to understand. What if it was Ashden laying on that funeral pyre, instead of Sa-Bay? They'd only been Master and Padawan a short time, yet he already felt very protective of the child, felt his heart lift when she laughed or achieved anything, hated it when she was unhappy… if it had been Ashden, it didn't bear thinking about.  
It was not long before the intense fires were lit beneath his little body, and after a time the crowd started quietly dispersing, until only Obi-Wan, Da-Sarin and the four children remained. Kneeling down in front of the youngsters, both adults took one hand each.

"We must have peace over our anger, honour over our hate, and strength over our fear."

"Yes Masters."

"We must not let ourselves fear the Sith. Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering. That is the path to the Darkside."

"Yes Masters."

"Sa-Bay isn't gone completely, do you know that? He lives on in the Force, as do all Jedi when they become one with it, and he lives here," Obi-Wan pointed to Ashden's heart, and then Amati's, "where nothing can take him away."

"Yes Master."

"Well come along then, we can all eat, and then you need to go back to class, little ones." Dar-Sarin said, standing up with knees that cracked quietly as she did so.

---

The single bell tolled, signalling that a funeral was beginning in the Temple. Anakin ignored it, it was of no consequence to he, the Chosen One since he was not dead, and nor was his Master.  
The only matter of any worth at the moment was the curious reason why he and his Master had been called to the strange troll's rooms: there was nothing he'd done of late, having perfected the art of only revelling in his feelings, his thoughts and his dreams…  
Speaking of which, they were now standing outside the opening door, beckoned inwards by the familiar voice that was a cross between rough and smooth.  
Yoda looked at Qui-Gon directly in the eyes, his wide-eyed stare belying the centuries of knowledge and wisdom gained within the small being, "Come to light, since Obi-Wan's battle with Sith, information has."

"Information such as what, Master?" asked Qui-Gon.

"Prepare yourselves, you should. Grave mistake made, there has been."  
Anakin struggled with the urge to fidget and tell the Jedi to hurry up and spit it out. There were surely better things _he_, Anakin, could be doing?  
"Relates, it does, to _you_, young Skywalker, and your mother." Yoda refocused on the youngest present, and yet even with all his experience, hesitated before the task of continuing. "Father, you have, a previous owner of your mother, he was. Trying to protect you, your mother was, give you better life, all she wanted."  
Anakin blinked, slowly, as if to do so would wipe out all that had just transpired. Mind not able tp digest what had been said, it reeled and span, feelings like betrayal and anger, feelings like the pain of crushed hope and broken dreams bubbled barely beneath the surface, threatening to take over and spill into the open and -  
"Jedi, you are. Chosen one, you are not."  
It felt like the world, his entire perception of everything, had come crashing down around him in that single moment. Indeed, he didn't even hear the first part of Yoda's confirmation, for the rushing of blood to his head was already so loud he could barely hear his own thoughts over the noise -  
His mother, his one constant, _lied_ to him! Made him believe he was _worth_ something, a person that _meant_ something! He floundered like a lost soul, he turned to his Master, eyes begging for help and comfort, for him to make it all not true, in the first real show of emotion since becoming a Jedi a few years ago.  
"Master? I don't understand! How could she? Did you know too? How many people have l-lied to me?  
Anakin didn't expect to see what he did. What he was expecting was his strong and silent Master, ready with all the answers and unshaken by the recent turn of events. Instead, what he saw was a greying man, fallible and thrown by this revelation. In a way, it was comforting. The Jedi weren't perfect.  
"No, Ani, I didn't know about this." He replied softly, "How many others, Yoda?"

Sadly, watching the scene unfold, he shook his head, "Only Obi-Wan, told him, Sith did."

"And what will happen now?"

"Know truth finally, in times of darkness, other Jedi must. Choice, I give to you. Tell others yourselves, or let Council speak."

"How long do we have?"

"Three hours."

"If you will excuse us, Master, my Padawan and I need some time to talk." Qui-Gon wasted no further time, standing up from the cushioned floor he and a stumbling Anakin made the journey to their own rooms in silence. As soon as the doors slid shut, the Padawan turned to him with an agonised stare.

"What's going to happen to me now, Master?"

Shocked by the open insecurity in the boy's voice, he turned around and caught his gaze.  
"You are still a Jedi, Ani -Master Yoda said as much. Nothing has changed, I am still your Master and you are still my Padawan. There was just a mistake, a mistake Ani. It happens."

"But I'm not the Chosen One."

"No, you're not." Qui-Gon's voice cracked at this. A memory he'd spent these years trying to forget, the memory of Obi-Wan, and the awful look on his face…

"Who am I?"

Qui-Gon sighed, "You're Anakin Skywalker, a Jedi."

The boy shook his head and ran his hands through the short spikes of his hair. Qui-Gon didn't understand. These whole past four years, he'd been the Chosen One. That was who he was: his identity, the thing that gave him status in unofficial Padawan society. His friends, the few that he had, even said the others called him the Important Padawan. And now… now he was just another run of the mill Jedi? An ordinary, everyday, Jedi…. Not the Jedi Qui-Gon thought he was training, not the Jedi he fought to train himself. "Did you only train me because you _thought_ I was the Chosen One?"

"Why would you say such a thing?"

"_Did_ _you_?"

"I-" he stopped, pulling a large hand over his face and rubbing his eyes, "I-"

"_Did_ _you_!"

"I-" Did he? Honestly, that was his reason, at least to an extent, since the Chosen One _had_ to be trained. And Obi-Wan… Was that the only reason? Looking into the blue eyes, confused and torn at the moment, the blood drained from his face as he realised he had no idea. Should he lie? Comfort him with false assurances? Another lie on top of the past four years of the constant untruths they'd lived, what could it hurt? The small voice of logic in his mind screamed at him that it as the completely wrong thing to do, but that was his primary notion. He'd been doing that since he took the boy as a Padawan. The complete opposite to how he treated Obi-Wan… But this boy, this child before him, was no longer able to hide behind the name of the Chosen One and Qui-Gon saw, just for a few moments, through the façade to the scared Padawan unsure of his path beneath it.  
"It played a part in my decision, yes. But it isn't as simple as that, Anakin. I knew you were Force sensitive when I met you, _before_ the test, and you _must_ be strong within the Force in your own right, just look at what you've achieved, but yes. I may have fought for you to be taken by a Master more strongly that I otherwise would have, but it is my personal believe that _all_ Force sensitive children should be trained so long as the opportunity arises. Do you understand what I'm saying, Ani? I never would have sent you back to Tatooine, even if you weren't the Chosen One. _Never_."

Anakin nodded slowly, still not completely convinced. The words of Senator Palpatine echoed through his head, the promises of power and recognition of his destined status as the Chosen One, highest of all the Jedi… "What will happen now?"

"We have to decided how the other Jedi are told, by us, or by the Council." Qui-Gon knelt down, placing a reassuring grip on his shoulders, "This will not be easy. The next few months, maybe even years, are going to be difficult. The fact that we made no secret as to your destiny means a lot of people know, and now, a lot of people will have questions."

"What do you mean, Master?"

He sighed; he'd mostly meant Obi. Yet _that_ was a bridge he would cross alone, for if it broke he didn't want Anakin being dragged into the river of broken promises, negative emotions, thoughts and words and everything else too. Though it was not only Obi-Wan who'd expressed concern over the proclaimed status of his status.  
Difficult times indeed -Jedi weren't above a smug 'told you so' on occasion.  
"You will find out soon, I don't doubt it. I'd rather see how you deal with it yourself."

"Yes, Master. And, I think we should do it."

"Agreed. Come on, lets find out where dear old Yoda has got to."

"And then?"

"Then we are at the discretion of the Council again. Just like always."

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

**Author's Notes:** uuuh, oops? I got stuck about a week into the original two weeks I said it would take, and then the rest of the summer jsut flew by... anyway i'm back at school now so i have time during lessons and stuff to write :D

**Review Thank Yous and Replies:**

**ednyadove**

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**rkccs**

**Crydwyn**

**Jedi-Master-Mouf:** lol your name makes me giggles sorry... :D

**SereneNuit:** It is indeed! And with my updates... sadly a necessary one lol. Good to see you're still reading!

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**i luv ewansmile**


	19. Of a Master's Musings III

**Authors Note:** Notes and thank yous at the end ;)  
**Disclaimer:** Read the first chappy legal peeps. Too lazy to repeat :)

-----------------------------

_Chapter Eighteen: Of a Master's Musings .III._

It was well into the middle of the night cycle and nearly all of Corusant was asleep, or at least in their bedrooms, but there were some who could not sleep. Sleep evaded them like a playful pup, toying with them, playing at the edge of awareness and teasing them with promises of rest. One of these people stood at the top of the Jedi Temple's steps, watching the city around him that went on as far as the eye could see, although this area of the giant planet-city was in it's night cycle, the other side of the planet, he knew, would be wide-awake and well into a days commerce. Wind whipped through his cloak, swirling it around behind him and pushing his hair back from his face. It was a bracing wind, one that may have been uncomfortable if his thoughts weren't so preoccupying.  
Obi-Wan stared out to the horizon as if it would hold all the answers, begging for it to give some reply to his silent questions but it didn't. It never did, and never would, yet that didn't matter, sometimes, there was something to be gained simply from asking in the first place.  
Where did he go from here? He was the Chosen One, destined to bring balance to an ever increasingly unbalanced Force by defeating an opponent he wasn't sure he was capable of defeating. In the space of a day several galaxies weight of responsibility had landed squarely on his shoulders, merely because he'd been born. And what would become of Anakin, and of Qui-Gon, now the truth had been revealed to them? Qui-Gon had been so sure of himself, of his decision and everything. Anakin was the Chosen One and folly to any who dared question it, even if that person was his own (at the time anyway) Padawan. Would he admit his mistake? Seek him out to make an apology? Obi-Wan doubted it, if there was one thing Qui-Gon was, it was prideful -there was nothing anyone could do about it, since every person in all the galaxies was prideful at least one point in their lives.  
Certainly he himself had been several times, but never to this extent, never to the extent where he would disown Ashden for the first child that cried "Chosen One".  
And the boy. Obi-Wan had seen the emotions so carefully hidden from everybody else, the pride, the jealousy, the anger, the love, the pain. In trying so hard to become the perfect Jedi, he was becoming a machine. A dangerous machine that was now a peg or four lower. He sensed Yoda knew this too, but time was running out for Anakin and the Jedi, Obi-Wan could sense it. He would watch his progress closely over the coming months, watch the growing shadow and darkness in the boy and hope it would recede.  
Back to Qui-Gon… Obi-Wan just prayed to the Force he would never have to talk to the older man. He wasn't ready for that bridge, not now, and not for a long time. His would-be last words still haunted his thoughts in his lower moments…  
_"Obi-Wan promise… promise me you'll train the boy…" _

"Yes, Master…"

"He is the Chosen One… he will… bring balance… train him!"

The Force, however, does not regard such prayers as the top priority. He felt him approaching long before he arrived next to him on the step, but until that moment, Obi-Wan had been praying that he'd read the signature wrong, or he would keep walking right past him, ignore him just like he had done for the past four years.  
He didn't.

"Obi I -"

"Don't."

"Sorry?"

"My title is Master Kenobi, I've told you before."

"Obi-Wan please, look,"

"_No_, Qui-Gon. No _please look_ no Obi. Why are you even here?"

"Yoda told me I'd find you here."

"Yes well our favourite troll has a habit of making suggestions that aren't always welcome, doesn't he?" Obi-Wan watched the conversation as if he were a third party, listening to the cold tone in his own voice with detached shock. He sounded so… cold. There was no other word for it. As of yet, nothing Qui-Gon had said had triggered any of the usual emotions.

"Obi-Wan I came here to apologise for my actions -"

Ah, there it was. Obi-Wan's out of body experience ended with a violent plummet back into his self. "_Apologise for your actions_? What about your words? Your silence? The last _four years_?"

"Obi-Wan -"

He span to face the older Jedi and put four years of anger and betrayal into the glare that turned his eyes a dark and turbulent sea-green. "_Don't_ Obi-Wan me, one simply apology can't make-up for what you've done."

"I truly believed Anakin was the Chosen One -"

"And I truly believed my instincts, who was right in the end!

Qui-Gon shook his head in disappointment, "I expected better than a childish 'I told you so' from you, Obi-Wan."

"I expected you to be the bigger man, but as you can see, expectations are often more like petty pedestals."

"Silence takes two."

"You were _wrong_, Qui-Gon. _Wrong_. Your infallible instincts _failed_ you, why won't you just _admit_ it. You were wrong. You were going to die for your great cause when in reality all you saved was another possible Jedi. A child too old, too emotional and too proud!"

"Anakin is a good Jedi!"

"He's dangerous! How can you not see the darkness that builds within him?"

"There is no darkness, he is a Jedi, a child of the Light!"

"No single Jedi is a child of the Light, every Jedi can become a Sith, just as every Sith can become a Jedi! You could! _I_ could! Look at Xanatos! You _know_ this!"

Qui-Gon's eyes flashed at the mention of his first apprentice, the one who he treated as a son, to whom he gave a piece of his heart: the one who raised his 'saber against his own Master in his turn to the darkness and the Sith.  
"You are out of line, Obi-Wan," he said lowly, "Anakin is not Xanatos."

"The same darkness resides within him. It only needs a trigger!"

"It is not!"

"Open your _eyes_! In your love for the boy you are being blind to his needs, his feelings -the ones he hides away because he _knows_ they are wrong but revels in them anyway. You _must_ find out why he does this, teach him, be a better Master!"

Qui-Gon reeled back as if struck, and the debate stalled, an awkward silence falling between them. Obi-Wan breathed heavily, frantically trying to calm down as his newly erected shields began to slip ever so slightly. He did not regret his words, though perhaps the timing and delivery could have been slightly better. He never meant to bring up Anakin and the oncoming problem with the boy now.

"Is that what you really believe? What your instincts tell you?"

"Not just that, it's what the _Force_ tells me, Qui-Gon. You would see it too if you just stopped seeing only what you wanted to see!"

"You are crossing the line Padawan!"

"I'M NOT YOUR PADAWAN ANY MORE!"

"I -"

Obi-Wan span on his boot heel and stormed away, back into the temple and spat over his shoulder, with barely contained contempt, "Good_bye_ Master Jinn." He never looked back.

---

Yoda shook his head from his hidden vantage point in the shadows and made no hurry to return to his rooms. When Obi-Wan stalked past, Yoda merely kept going, making no change to his pace or expression, and although he knew the newly self-revealed Chosen One of the Jedi had seen him, or at the very least sensed him, no acknowledgement was made.  
Both were proud, both were stubborn, and both knew the sting of betrayal. This 'coincidental' meeting between the two had reopened some fresh wounds, ones which never healed properly before, only scarred, and now had the chance to be cleansed and heal properly. These were not the times when walls of silence and stubbornness could be allowed to interfere.  
Time would tell, his meditations on the new changes hadn't bought much change. Darkness still clouded their futures, making every decision uncertain. Indeed, the only certainty that remained was that Yoda knew both former Master and Apprentice very well, and both needed closure. Real closure with real acceptance. And, given a few more 'coincidental' meetings over a time, Yoda hoped that they would forgive, even if they could not forget. Furthermore, Yoda had heard the desperation in young Obi-Wan's voice as he told Qui-Gon to open his eyes -perhaps, just perhaps, he would seek out Qui-Gon of his own accord in time. There was always a chance, after all.

Times of darkness were coming, but the Jedi would survive. The Force had blessed them with a chance. Balance would come.

-----------------------------------

**Author's Notes:** OMG. It's done. It's over. Finito. Finis. I feel kinda sad. I mean, i've been working on this for over a year and a half it's a bit like my proverbial baby. I have got a sequel _planned_, but it's pretty sketchy. I have a more substantial plan for a sequel to my Charmed story, so that may appear first!  
Well (take a big breath) guess I'll see you guys later:) Thanks for coming along for the ride, your reviews have been great!

**Review Thank Yous and Replies:**

**Lincoln Six Echo:** Cool! You're writing one too? Could you give me the link? I'd love to read it :D

**i luv ewansmile:** The best? Well i dunno about that, but i suppose it's ok :)

**dmitchell:** well, after how long? a year? nearly two! its over... waddya think?

**Kusco:** I have? Making me blush! Good to hear you still like the story!

**Phoenix Red Lion:** Heehee it's no problem, i love your reviews :)

**Crydwyn:** Well, the news has been sent, the story is finished... time to wind down and have a rest lol...


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